While the thousands of hospital volunteers throughout the Garden State do not receive wages, the emotional, practical and long-term remuneration they receive is inestimable.
Many of the people who keep New Jersey’s hospitals running don’t get paid.
Thousands of volunteers throughout the Garden State perform valuable patient care, staff support and other functions so that hired staff can concentrate on delivering high-quality care.
But while these volunteers do not receive wages, the emotional, practical and long-term remuneration they receive is inestimable.
And the benefits volunteers impart to both patients and staff are tangible. In one study led by Femida Handy, Ph.D., Professor of Non-Profit Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, more than 70% of participating hospital executives said the human contact volunteers have with patients improves patient satisfaction and reduces family members’ anxiety.
Reasons to Volunteer
There’s much altruistic benefit to hospital volunteering. The knowledge that you’re making the patient’s day — just by spending a few minutes to chat and serve ice cream — can be gratifying.
But hospital volunteering also offers many other benefits. Officers at Volunteering Solutions, an online volunteer opportunity clearinghouse, note that hospital volunteers:
Make friends. Volunteers work side by side and get to know each other.
Build a professional network. Volunteers meet health care providers who can later help them in their careers.
Generate immediate career opportunities. Volunteers who are seen helping out every day may be considered for an internship.
Acquire job skills. Volunteers can acquire a range of valuable skills — from clerical and computer, to sales and patient care — that they can use in future pursuits. What’s more, listing your volunteer service on a resume can improve your marketability to prospective employers, job search coach/consultant Eli Amdur notes.
Improve health. Research from the government agency AmeriCorps suggests that volunteers maintain function and live longer than people who don’t volunteer. In addition, hospitals regularly host educational programs on health and self-care issues. Volunteers have easy access to these programs.
Tangible rewards. Some hospitals offer other incentives in lieu of cash for volunteering, such as free lunches, membership in the hospital’s credit union or discounted gym memberships.
School credit. Some high schools offer students service credits for community service.
What’s Needed
Hospitals need help with many non-medical tasks, such as:
Personal patient services
Working the reception area
Escorting patients to and from activities
Child care
Tutoring pediatric patients
Assisting ancillary personnel, such as physical and occupational therapists and chaplains
Gardening and landscaping
Computer and clerical work
Anyone ages 16 or older and in good health can volunteer. If you choose to volunteer, you may need to complete a hospital orientation program, which can be conducted in person or online.
Depending on the role you’ll be performing, you may require training, which the hospital provides for free. Some hospitals ask that you commit a set number of hours each week to volunteering.
Some hospitals also may require that volunteers provide proof of a recent physical examination, a flu shot, a tuberculosis test, and immunization against COVID-19 and other diseases.
Boonton residents John and Wendy Crans are grateful for the expertise, experience, compassion, and support that the Saint Clare’s Health team provided to John throughout his journey with prostate cancer.
According to the CDC, nearly 250,000 men in the U.S. are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, rendering it the second most common cancer among American males. For these individuals, the right treatment not only helps determine their survivability, but also their comfort and quality of life.
Providing the utmost in high-quality and compassionate care, the team at Prime Healthcare’s north Jersey hospitals — including Saint Clare’s Health (Denville/Dover/Boonton), Saint Mary’s General Hospital (Passaic) and Saint Michael’s Medical Center (Newark) — proudly deliver state-of-the-art treatment in a comfortable and convenient community environment and are setting a new standard of cancer care.
It’s an experience that 77-year-old Boonton resident, retired government employee, and active volunteer firefighter John Crans can attest to.
After a series of tests confirmed that his PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels were on the rise, “my urologist, Dr. Vincent Cubelli, did a biopsy of my prostate and I was subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2020,” Crans said.
While surgery was an option, his team of specialists at Saint Clare’s Health advised against it based on his age and physical condition and instead recommended that he consider TrueBeam therapy, a radiosurgery treatment system that allows doctors to target hard-to-reach tumors and deliver safe, effective, and convenient treatment in just one to five sessions compared to as many as 45 sessions of conventional radiation therapy. Since completing five treatments in January 2021, Crans is now enjoying life cancer-free and couldn’t be more grateful for the expertise, experience, compassion and support that the Saint Clare’s team provided.
The Prime Health Care recommended that John Crans undergo TrueBeam therapy, a radiosurgery treatment system that allows doctors to target hard-to-reach tumors and deliver safe, effective, and convenient treatment in just one to five sessions.
An Optimal Solution
“We check the prostates of our older male patients through physical exams and blood testing on a regular basis and John has been a patient of mine for several years,” said Dr. Cubelli, MD, attending urologist with Morris County-based Garden State Urology, an affiliate of Saint Clare’s Health. “When his PSA results began rising, we decided that we needed to do a biopsy, which ultimately revealed a number of cancerous sectors of the prostate that warranted treatment.
“While we perform surgery for prostate cancer using a laparoscopic robotic approach and Saint Clare’s possesses the state-of-the-art da Vinci robotic surgical system to accomplish that, our collaborative team agreed that surgery wasn’t ideal for John because it would pose extra risks/side effects and that radiation would be a more optimal alternative,” said Dr. Cubelli, who referred Crans to Anurag Chandra, MD, radiation oncologist at Saint Clare’s Health.
Among the radiation options available to treat prostate cancer, “stereotactic body radiation therapy, or ‘SBRT,’ is a higher-level technology that only a few of the hospitals in North Jersey have, but which is resident at Saint Clare’s,” Dr. Chandra said. “Through our TrueBeam system, we’re able to deliver precise, high-dose, pinpoint treatments of radiation to the prostate in just one to five sessions and significantly reduce the risk of collateral damage to adjacent organs.
“In addition to its low risk of toxicity, the main advantage of SBRT for patients is its convenience given that it’s delivered in just five or fewer sessions that are spaced out every three to four days,” Dr. Chandra said. “Studies reveal that at least half of all prostate cancers diagnosed in the U.S. are earlier-stage/lower-risk cases that would be great candidates for SBRT and John’s was one of them.”
An Excellent Prognosis
Since completing his TrueBeam sessions more than a year ago, Crans and his doctors have been thrilled with his progress.
“At the start, my PSA was 8.17,” Crans said, “and as of my last blood test, my PSA was .97 and I feel great.”
“For the right patient, TrueBeam can effectively address their treatment needs in a convenient setting, and John was an ideal candidate for this therapy,” Dr. Cubelli said. “Over a year after his treatment, he’s doing exceptionally well and I’m fairly confident that he’ll remain cancer-free for the long-term, though we’ll continue to monitor him in the event that anything changes.”
“John’s prognosis should be excellent,” concurred Dr. Chandra.
As they continue to enjoy family events with their children and grandchildren and prepare to celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary in May, John and Wendy Crans can’t thank the Saint Clare’s team enough.
“Every member of the Saint Clare’s team was awesome from start to finish and I truly appreciated Dr. Chandra’s honesty and the time he and my other doctors took to discuss my treatment options, their pros and cons, and the process involved,” Crans said. “I like to be close to home and after meeting with all of my doctors, there was no question that I was going to have my treatment at Saint Clare’s.”
“Equipped with the finest technologies available and a staff of doctors, nurses, and support personnel who love taking care of patients, Saint Clare’s provides exceptional oncology care,” Dr. Cubelli said. “We’re proud to offer top-quality care close to home in a comfortable, non-stressful environment.”
“We offer high-level technology like TrueBeam in the convenience of a community setting, which enables us to treat patients quickly, easily and safely,” Dr. Chandra said. “Along with so many other services that a patient might require in their cancer journey, including physical therapy/rehab, social work, nutritional counseling, speech and swallow services and more, we have all of the medical and ancillary support onsite to be able to offer patients everything they need right in their own backyard.”
Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 46 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states, providing over 2.6 million patient visits annually. It is one of the nation’s leading health systems with nearly 50,000 employees and physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality health care.
Patients participating in clinical trials gain access to groundbreaking therapies that could improve — or even save — their lives.
More than 1,800 studies of new or existing medications are happening throughout the Garden State, according to the federal research site ClinicalTrials.gov. New Jersey’s teaching hospitals are leading many of these studies (called clinical trials), and smaller community medical centers are referring their patients to them.
Both the physicians who lead these trials and the patients who participate in them are pioneering medicine. The results that stem from these studies will help doctors learn whether and in which cases a new medication is a viable treatment option. In return, participating patients gain access to groundbreaking therapies that could improve — or even save — their lives.
“Study participants are the unsung heroes of medical advancements,” said Robert W. Frenck Jr., director of the Vaccine Research Center and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati. “Without them, things like penicillin and mammograms would have never made it to clinical practice.”
Both the physicians who lead these trials and the patients who participate in them are pioneering medicine.
How Clinical Trials Work
The National Institutes of Health describes the clinical trial process as follows:
A new drug compound or combination therapy is first tested in the laboratory, then in animals. If the treatment shows promise, it will then be tested in humans for safety, effectiveness and optimal use.
Usually funded by a drug manufacturer, a clinical trial enrolls patients from all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. But because these studies are expensive (costing between $1.6 million and $19 million based on industry figures), they focus on a highly specific disease type and, therefore, enforce strict enrollment criteria. Prospective participants undergo a rigorous screening process to determine if their condition meets the study criteria.
Hospitals and treatment networks refer patients to a clinical trial if they feel the patient’s condition matches what researchers are investigating, if the patient could benefit from the study drug and if previous treatments have been unsuccessful.
‘Should I Participate?’
If your doctor refers you to a clinical trial, you should weigh the study drug’s potential side effects against your past treatments, currently available treatment options and your prognosis. You also need to find out your responsibilities as a trial participant, and how participation will affect your daily life. The research team will review these considerations with you during the registration process.
Before you agree to enter the trial, you will need to sign an “informed consent” form, which spells out the trial’s purpose, duration, required procedures, risks and potential benefits of the studied treatment, and who to contact if a problem arises. The research staff also will explain that information throughout the screening process. Once you sign the form, you can still leave the trial at any time.
Throughout the trial, medical research team members will administer the drug and periodically examine you to gauge its effects. If a complication arises, the trial team will cover the cost of treatment. Some trials also cover patient transportation and meal costs.
New Jersey hospital emergency departments treat and comfort 3.8 million individuals annually, according to the New Jersey Hospital Association.
When a pressing medical issue such as fierce pain just can’t wait, New Jersey hospitals’ emergency departments are there.
And when mental health crises emerge, particularly among youths, New Jersey hospitals’ emergency departments are on the job as well.
Hospital emergency departments are on the front lines of care 24/7, ready to handle every situation from the simple to the complex. They do so by maximizing advanced diagnostic and treatment protocols, equipment and technologies. But their patient-first care also prioritizes dignity, a personal touch, and empowering patients and families as partners in care and recovery.
And this specialized health care, imbued with hope, compassion and a commitment to healing and well-being, is always available close to home, no matter where you are across the Garden State.
New Jersey hospital emergency departments treat and comfort 3.8 million individuals annually, according to the New Jersey Hospital Association. Overall, these hospitals care for more than 15 million patients each year.
Each year, one in five Americans visits an emergency department at least once, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a department within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its December 2021 report encompassed 2018 data.
While trauma and other urgent situations are common, most patients seen in an emergency department are treated and discharged without hospital admission, the agency reported. Many individuals seek care for non-urgent conditions that may reflect limited access to primary and preventive care, lack of a regular health care provider, or minimal or no health insurance.
The coronavirus pandemic prompted hospitals and emergency departments in New Jersey and nationwide to quickly innovate. They mobilized to devise workflows and therapy protocols to safely accommodate an influx of patients with a highly contagious infection about which little was known. Services remained open as hospitals, including emergency rooms, stood tall to save lives. And emergency caregivers’ heroic efforts often included personal sacrifice as they put patients first: time away from families, risks to their own health care, frequent stress, and constantly dealing with the unknown factors and dangers about the virus.
While trauma and other urgent situations are common, most patients seen in an emergency department are treated and discharged without hospital admission, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Now, it’s clear that the pandemic is exacting another toll. A trend identified in 2020 emergency department data continues to grow: Youths ages 12 to 17 are seeking hospital care at a rate well beyond pre-pandemic levels for mental-health diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders, New Jersey Hospital Association data show.
The concern, also seen in the association’s analysis of 2021 hospital visits, is driving an increase in inpatient hospital admissions. The proportion of depression-related hospitalizations increased 25% from 2019 to 2021, the association’s analysis shows. The statistics also reveal that anxiety increased 54%, self-harm cases jumped 95%, and eating disorder-related hospitalizations were approximately 2.5 times higher in 2021 compared with 2019. Females sought care for eating disorders far more often than males, according to the data.
“We are witnessing the extended impact of the pandemic years on the demand for mental health services,” said NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett. “The emergency department is very often the first point of contact for youths in mental-health crisis, but now we see that journey continuing into inpatient care in our hospitals. This is an important early indicator of the need for better access to mental health services for New Jersey’s youth.”
Another trend in emergency departments is a priority gaining prominence in general hospital operations: the importance of a positive experience. Hospitals are restructuring operations to ensure that emergency patients see a provider as quickly as possible.
Part of the reason is that “emergency rooms face a Herculean task,” according to a study published in The Conversation, an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics and edited by journalists for the general public. “They are asked to be prepared for anything and everything, keep wait times down and costs low. They are mandated by law to treat and stabilize anyone who walks in the door regardless of their ability to pay.”
It is that dedication to patients and to community health that powers emergency departments around the clock, 365 days a year.
Hospitals are restructuring operations to ensure that emergency patients see a provider as quickly as possible.
Emergency Departments by the Numbers in the United States
In 2018, there were 143.5 million emergency department (ED) visits, representing 439 visits per every 1,000 residents.
14% of ED visits resulted in a hospital admission. Circulatory and digestive system conditions were the most common reasons for these visits.
86% of ED visits resulted in treatment and release. The top reasons for these visits: Injuries and poisonings and troublesome symptoms, signs and abnormal findings.
The highest rates of ED visits were among females 65 and older, and individuals living in low-income or rural areas.
Those treated and released from EDs came in due to abdominal pain, acute upper respiratory infection and chest pain.
Reasons for treat-and-release ED visits by patient group:
Males: Wounds to limbs and the head or neck
Females: Urinary tract infections, headache, and pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting
Children: Ear infection or inflammation, a viral infection and fever
Older Adults: Dizziness/hallucinations and fainting
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, within the United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2021 report on 2018 data
When to Go to the Emergency Department
The following health issues require emergency care. To secure immediate assistance, dial 911.
Chest pain
Choking
Poisoning (Call the Poison Control Center first: 800-222-1222)
Serious injury
Head injury
Broken bones
Problems breathing
Severe burns
Severe dizzy spells, fainting or blackouts
Drug overdose
Loss of speech or slurred speech
Change or loss of vision
Seizures lasting more than 5 minutes
Bleeding that does not stop
Fever higher than 101 and vomiting more than 3 hours
Vomiting blood or coughing up blood
Confusion
Sudden loss of feeling or not being able to move
Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
Suicidal feelings
Other problems that you think cannot wait
Source: Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey, a nonprofit affiliate of the New Jersey Hospital Association
Resources for Parents of Teens with Mental Health Issues
The New Jersey Hospital Association has produced a reference sheet, “What Should I Do,” for parents of children struggling with mental health issues. It identifies resources for mental health care, questions to ask and more. Download it at njha.com/what-should-I-do.
Hospital caregivers are prioritizing compassion, helpful services, empathy and innovation to ensure patients have a strong, satisfying patient experience.
When you need a hospital’s care, you’re already vulnerable. Hospital caregivers realize this, and are now embracing an approach to provide holistic care that supports not just the patient, but also the person.
Hospital caregivers are prioritizing compassion, helpful services, empathy and innovation to ensure patients have a strong, satisfying patient experience.
It’s all part of the health care industry’s ongoing transformation to boldly strategize a resilient clinical and economic future — and to nurture community health overall, one patient at a time, while seamlessly delivering the integrated multidisciplinary care and services communities need, deserve and value.
A study by the Beryl Institute, comprised of health care professionals around the globe who advocate for transforming the human experience in health care and hospitals, found that 96% of health care consumers ranked a positive experience as important or very important.
Quality care, delivered efficiently with plain-talk communication, is just the start. This focus also manifests itself by prioritizing dignity, integrity and service, as well as commitments to advocate for, empower and educate patients and communities.
“Powerful market and regulatory trends, combined with increasing evidence linking patient experience to important clinical and business outcomes, make a compelling case for improving patient experience,” according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
How is this taking place? Hospitals’ innovations now include helpful digital services. Patients can access online summaries of their care, medication information, patient records, payment histories and more through apps, for instance. They can make appointments for follow-up care, learn more about their physician teams and even renew prescriptions.
A January 2022 Harvard Business Review column reported that digital approaches designed to aid patients’ experiences also can aid hospitals’ internal workflows by sharpening efficiency. “Research and hospitals’ experiences show that they can make a big difference in such areas as the management of the patient flow, staffing, scheduling and the supply chain,” the report said. “The result can be improvements in the quality and efficiency of care and patients’ access to it.”
For hospitals, the COVID pandemic inspired even more aligned, cohesive, system-wide opportunities for care while retaining a patient-first focus. This vision also includes renewed attention on community wellness, prevention, education, resources and vitality. This is being achieved by increasing access to services, promoting health equity and reducing health disparities. Such cultural competence ultimately results in improved care and trust.
These relationships also can benefit New Jersey hospitals, which would gain insights about community health priorities and voices, all to inform decision-making and further position hospitals as neighbors and friends robustly invested in New Jersey’s overall well-being.
Suddenly, over the course of a few weeks, New Jersey’s 113 hospitals were in an unexpected spotlight. The coronavirus was raging in the summer of 2020, with courageous doctors, nurses, technicians and staff members working 24/7 on the front lines in the midst of what would become a worldwide pandemic.
The disease was new, the challenge unprecedented. But at their heart, hospital staffs understood the stakes: Protect and save lives. And soon, grateful communities would recognize the extraordinary care, the fierce dedication, the vast personal sacrifice — and generously thank their health care heroes in ways large and small.
Recognition well deserved? Yes. But hospitals are powerhouses for communities in so many additional ways. Their culture of care and scientifically and technologically advanced therapies of all types, conveniently close to home, blend with their commitment to be economic engines that provide jobs, services and so much more for the state’s 9.2 million residents.
Indeed, hospitals are “anchor institutions” that are vital influencers of community health. They are committed to building trust and promoting well-being through innovation, education, investment, partnerships, engagement and advocacy. These responsibilities provide vast safety nets and lifelines that are even more crucial as our region continues to rebound from the pandemic.
Anchor institutions are physically and permanently rooted in the communities they serve and have a direct stake in the sustainability of those communities and their health. Hospitals embrace this responsibility by investing in cutting-edge medical advancements, recruiting top-flight physicians and specialists, expanding training for staff members, and taking bold steps to upgrade services. Clinical excellence drives success and fuels a culture of possibility that seeks to capitalize on health care’s rapid, nonstop evolution. This dramatically increases quality, integration, influence and economic strength — while positioning hospitals to be health care providers of choice seeking to provide equitable access to care for all.
New Jersey hospitals’ impact on communities is massive. Together, they care for more than 15 million patients each year. In 2020, they provided $27.8 billion in direct economic activity while providing a total economic infusion of $62 billion. That’s because spending by hospitals has crucial ripple effects that provide lifeblood for other industries, fuel job growth and create business across New Jersey. These data points are outlined in the New Jersey Hospital Association’s March 2022 annual Economic Impact Report, covering 2020.
Additional key findings in the report further detail New Jersey hospitals’ seismic importance:
They provide nearly 119,000 full-time-equivalent jobs and total direct employment of over 154,000 full- and part-time employees. In addition, the hospitals create about 200,000 jobs across other sectors — resulting in an overall employment impact of 355,000 jobs statewide.
Hospitals purchased $3.9 billion in goods and services from other businesses. The majority of that number, $1.8 billion, represented direct purchases of pharmaceutical drugs, and $1.7 billion was spent on contracted labor.
Hospitals provided more than $10 billion in employee salaries, generating $500 million in state income taxes.
Hospitals delivered $671 million in charity care to the working poor and uninsured patients.
“New Jersey’s hospitals have made their mark throughout the pandemic by saving more than 105,000 lives among seriously ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19. While the value of a life saved is immeasurable, we can quantify the economic impact of hospitals that touch our lives every day,” said NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett. “The direct economic impact of $27.8 billion reverberates throughout New Jersey to support other businesses, income and jobs — creating a multiplier effect of $62 billion in economic support across sectors and communities.”
New Jersey hospitals’ value across the state mirrors the premium importance hospitals provide nationally. In 2020, hospitals across the United States purchased more than $1.1 trillion in goods and services, according to the American Hospital Association. The nonprofit trade group also reported that hospitals had 6.3 million employees overall, supported 17.6 million total jobs (about out of every eight jobs in the country) and engineered $3.6 trillion in economic activity. njha.com/resources/economic-impact-report
Still, clinical excellence and safety, as part of a continuum of care, are paramount because residents of New Jersey and nationwide are living longer and require sharply advanced care. Every aspect of a patient’s health care journey can be life-changing, and caring for the person is as essential as caring for the patient.
New Jersey Hospitals by the Numbers
There are 113 hospitals statewide, including specialty hospitals. There are 72 acute-care hospitals.
New Jersey hospitals employ more than 150,000 individuals. Health care is the largest private sector employer in New Jersey and ranks second only to government as the state’s largest employer.
· New Jersey hospitals provide $23.6 billion in jobs, spending and other economic benefits to the state’s economy.
· New Jersey hospitals provide about $1.9 billion in free and discounted health care annually to the uninsured, senior citizens and those in financial need.
· New Jersey hospitals care for more than 15 million patients each year.
· New Jersey hospital emergency departments serve 3.8 million individuals annually.
· New Jersey hospitals provide $2.8 billion in community benefits annually, including health clinics, screenings, education and free and discounted care for the poor and uninsured.
If you think you know Atlantic City, think again — or, better yet, look again. This venerable seaside beauty attracts almost 27 million visitors a year, and, after the pandemic slowdown, its visitation numbers have increased by 17%. Casino revenue from in-person gambling increased slightly, but there were extraordinary gains from online and sports betting (the opening of sportsbooks was a boon) that pushed AC’s gross operating profit to $766.8 million in 2021, far surpassing the $117.5 million they made in 2020. There’s a new spirit in town, with remarkable developments at some of the classic hotels and a boom in nongaming amenities powered by imaginative entrepreneurs who believe in Atlantic City’s future. Visitors have thatmany more entertainment options on and off the boardwalk. And let’s not forget: There’s always that wide beach, which, as opposed to most other seaside resorts in New Jersey, is free.
Resorts Casino Hotel just added the $35 million Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville-themed entertainment complex and its beach bar, the LandShark Bar & Grill. Photo courtesy of Resorts Casino Hotel
The original game changer was Resorts Casino Hotel, which brought gambling to Atlantic City in 1978 — the first American casino outside of Nevada. With 21 prime, oceanfront acres on the boardwalk in North Beach, Resorts has close to 1,000 rooms in two towers connected by an 80,000-square-foot casino. It’s just added the $35 million Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville-themed entertainment complex and its beach bar, the LandShark Bar & Grill.
The Hard Rock Hotel franchise always adds a thoughtful, upscale luster and vibe to any of its locations. AC’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (once the Taj Mahal) devoted April to its “Save The Planet” initiative. For Earth Day, Hard Rock team members worked together to clean up the Atlantic City shoreline during a beach clean-up partnership with Stockton University. Over the past few years, team members have removed hundreds of pounds of trash and other environmental hazards during this event. The resort also partnered with Atlantic County sustainable farm, Reeds Organic Farm, as well as its partner charitable organization, A Meaningful Purpose, to plant trees and vegetation and donated $5,000 to help the organization further the mission. There’s also an oyster shell recycling program that keeps oyster shells out of landfills.
Headline entertainment at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena will continue to roll in once again as part of the 365 Live initiative. Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Of course, Hard Rock has its headline entertainment, too, and the venue will continue its commitment to live performances 365 days a year, seven days a week with the 365 Live initiative. Guests can check out performers in the Lobby Bar, Council Oak Steaks & Seafoods and the Hard Rock Café, boasting performances from local, regional and national entertainers all year long. Headline entertainment at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena this summer includes New Kids On The Block on July 3, Kevin Hart on July 8 and 9, Alicia Keys on Aug. 6 and Rod Stewart on Aug. 19.
Hard Rock had another record-breaking year and gave bonuses to over 2,000 of its employees. “We look at things differently here at Hard Rock, and that’s been the root of our success. Our mottos of ‘Love All-Serve All,’ ‘Take Time To Be Kind,’ ‘Save The Planet’ and ‘All Is One’ have been around for decades and we continue to live by them today,” said chairman of Hard Rock International, Jim Allen. “We want to focus on building companionship at work and creating a sense of family among our Hard Rock team members.”
The newest eatery at Bally’s is The Yard, a beer garden-style restaurant and bar that occupies the courtyard space between the famous Dennis Hotel towers. Photo courtesy of Bally’s
Bally’s has $100 million in renovations in the works and has added another twist to its eclectic mix of dining options, which include Guy Fieri’s Chophouse and Jerry Longo’s Meatballs and Martinis. The newest eatery is The Yard, a beer garden-style restaurant and bar that occupies the courtyard space between the famous Dennis Hotel towers. It’s spacious: over 10,000 square feet with 5,000 square feet of new construction. There are ’90s-themed arcade games, lounge-style seating and an indoor and outdoor stage for live entertainment. “The inspiration came from a collection of Philadelphia- and New York-style beer halls, and we took it to the next level,” said Paul Juliano, senior vice president of operations at Bally’s Corp. In addition, Bally’s has its new Carousel Bar, a 24-seat rotating bar with spectacular, 360-degree views of AC and beyond.
Bader Field has become a multipurpose space but there are rumblings that the site could be used as a motorsports facility, a technology hub or for hundreds of condos. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
In the “No news is … no news” department, there were a flurry of reports earlier this year about a new use for neglected Bader Field. (“Vacant Atlantic City airport could become car lover’s dream” was an Associated Press headline in February.) Bader Field (named after a former mayor) was once a city-owned, public-use airport. In its heyday, every United States president, from Theodore Roosevelt to Gerald Ford, flew to the airport during their terms. The words, “air port,” were used for the first time in 1919 by a reporter to describe this new, Atlantic City phenomenon. Bader’s decline began in 1958, then private planes used it until 2006. After that, this 143-acre tract in a prime location was used sporadically for a minor league baseball team, a skating rink and for concerts by Dave Mathews, Metallica and Phish. The South Jersey Region of the Sports Car Club of America hosts autocross events at Bader Field during the warmer months. There are new rumblings of classic car-related activities, with stories featured in the press about a motorsports facility, a technology hub and hundreds of condos — but the developer is not talking right now.
North Beach Mini Golf is the perfect recreation for adults and the kids who love them. Photo courtesy of North Beach Mini Golf
There are some exciting developments along the boardwalk that have nothing to do with casinos. One of them, North Beach Mini Golf, is at 120 Euclid Ave. next to the Altman Playground and just a few blocks from the Absecon Lighthouse. Two brothers, Mike and Nick Intrieri, revitalized a formerly vacant, 8,500-square-foot property into an 18-hole miniature golf course. Mike, who lives close to the course, is an engineer, and Nick, who lives in Rutherford, is in finance. Originally from Harrisburg, Pa., they moved to New Jersey after college, but before that spent happy summers at the Jersey Shore and loved playing miniature golf as kids. They rediscovered mini golf during the pandemic and realized it was a safe, socially distanced way to have fun and thought about creating their own course. Five years ago, they got involved in real estate in Atlantic City, rehabbing buildings and turning some of them into Airbnbs, though they were warned it was too dangerous for anyone to stay outside of the big hotels. They came to love the neighborhood and the AC community’s enterprising spirit.
The Intrieris are giving the course a distinctive AC flavor with some genuine artifacts, including a replica of the Absecon Lighthouse, a craps table and a slot machine. The plan was drawn up by Miniature Golf Solutions, a Florida-based company that has been designing courses for over 25 years. The course will connect to the boardwalk via a pedestrian bridge, and its rustic, natural theme includes greenery, streams and a pond. The Intrieri brothers plan to offer seasonal bicycle rentals at North Beach Mini Golf (which is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.). A fun alternative to the casinos, surrounded by a more residential neighborhood, North Beach Mini Golf is the perfect mini golf course for adults and the kids who love them (or vice versa).
Pat Fasano, the bold, charismatic developer who reenergized Asbury Park, has turned his talents to AC, which has a surprising amount of vacant land. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
AC’s hot, new neighborhood is poised to be The Orange Loop, where the streets are named after those on the orange section of the Monopoly board: Saint James Place, Tennessee Avenue and New York Avenue — three respectable blocks but not prime real estate — until now. Pat Fasano, the bold, charismatic developer who reenergized Asbury Park, has turned his talents to AC, which has a surprising amount of vacant land. It’s like the Wild West of the East Coast. His restaurant, Bourré, is the anchor of the neighborhood and serves Cajun cuisine. (That alligator sausage you’ve been craving is on the menu.) The day I spoke to him, he was onsite setting up for 420 Fest, celebrating the legalization of cannabis. His big plans for the area include a 15,000-square-foot, multiuse structure that will house apartments and stores.
Awhile back, Fasano saw a hotel in Costa Rica made of shipping containers, so he bought some for The Orange Loop and plunked them down in the courtyard outside Bourré. The containers house a bar, food outlets and a bridge. (Yes, all made from shipping containers.) There is a stage for live entertainment, picnic tables and a fire pit — perfect for a summer night hang. Fasano is in constant motion and knows how to make things happen, so there’s no doubt he will build that shipping container hotel.
Bourré is the anchor of The Orange Loop neighborhood with its vibrant nightlife and Cajun cuisine. Photo courtesy of Bourré
Fasano started in real estate at age 19 in New Brunswick, where he rehabbed buildings and rented apartments to Rutgers students. Later, he began transforming buildings in then-downtrodden-but-now-very-hot Asbury Park. “I’m the guy who started it,” he said. His entrepreneurial zeal is now focused on Atlantic City, where he has invested about $4 million in real estate, with another $4 million in improvements planned. AC has some assets not found in Asbury, including a wealth of parking and those free beaches, among other things.
“Atlantic City is electric, but it doesn’t have a downtown, so my vision begins by creating a downtown area in The Orange Loop, bringing restaurants, entertainment and shopping to an area that has the greatest natural resource at its feet: the Atlantic Ocean. Live music and great food are going to put Atlantic City back on the map. This is an exciting time for the city!”
One of the things Fasano is excited about is the Frantic City Festival, an all-day music festival to be held Sept. 24 at the Orange Loop Amphitheatre, featuring a sensational array of bands, including Yo La Tengo, Car Seat Headrest, Snail Mail and a host of others. Fred Armisen will be the host.
Fasano and the Intrieri brothers are passionate about Atlantic City and not afraid to gamble on the beautiful city they love.
Manuel Igrejas has worked in the theater as a playwright and a publicist on and off-Broadway. He was the publicist for Blue Man Group for 15 years, and his other clients included Richard Foreman, John Leguizamo, Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, STREB, Julie Harris and Peak Performances.
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.
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New Jersey is home to many historical aviation advancements, and there are quite a few museums throughout the state that let visitors see captivating and impressive evidence of that past. Not only can it be fun for the whole family, but they all offer an unforgettable learning experience.
The Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is located in a World War II hangar and has historical aircraft and artifacts. Photo courtesy of Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum
NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum
The Naval Air Station (NAS) Wildwood Aviation Museum is located in a World War II hangar and is open year-round. It offers hands-on exhibits, a wide range of historic aircraft and artifacts, and is also filled with fun activities. You can even climb into a real air traffic control tower!
From a Grumman F-14 Tomcat to a Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter, among other types of aircraft that are on display, you’re sure to learn and see impressive history.
Admission is $14 for adults, $10 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for children under age 2 as well as military members.
For hours of operation and more information, visit usnasw.org.
Address: 500 Forrestal Road, Cape May, 08204
The Millville Army Air Field Museum offers a variety of preserved, World War II aviation history. Photo courtesy of Millville Army Air Field Museum
Millville Army Air Field Museum
Officially known as “America’s First Defense Airport,” this museum offers a variety of preserved, World War II aviation history. The historic location once served as a training facility for over 1,000 pilots in the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, an advanced fighter aircraft used during World War II.
The museum also hosts a variety of amazing airshows displaying authentic World War II Warbirds as well as other activities that are fun for the entire family, like programs and tours that have chronicled the importance of New Jersey’s aviation past.
Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
For hours of operation and more information, visitp47millville.org.
Address: 1 Leddon St., Millville, 08332
The AEREON 26 aircraft, which is on display at the Air Victory Museum, has a special place in UFO and conspiracy lore, since enthusiasts have drawn parallels between the shape of this aircraft and some reported UFOs from around the same era. Photo courtesy of Air Victory Museum
Air Victory Museum
The Air Victory Museum showcases a variety of historical aircraft, vehicles and other aviation-related memorabilia. Established as a museum in 1989, the site has accumulated artifacts and memorabilia over time, so visitors can see authentic aircraft as well as some replicas and learn about high-flying history.
Admission is $10 for ages 13 to 64, $7 for seniors and military members and $5 for children ages 8 to 17. Children ages 5 and younger are free.
For hours of operation and more information, visitnjavm.org.
Address: 68 Stacy Haines Road, Lumberton, 08048
A little boy stares into a glass display case featuring model airplanes and aviation memorabilia at the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New Jersey. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New Jersey
From remarkable aircraft to helicopters, this aviation museum offers a variety of aviation and space history. Experience some interactive exhibits and enjoy the amazing displays, like sitting in the cockpits of aircraft at its Open Cockpit Day. Be sure to keep an eye on the events page and check its website for museum exhibit openings.
Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and children ages 3 to 12, and children under age 3 are free.
For hours of operation and more information, visit njahof.org.
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.
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Hangar No. 1 was the first major facility constructed at Lakehurst NAS, and, today, it is a registered National Historic Landmark. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
Pivotal moments have propelled many advances in human history. The Lakehurst Naval Air Station (NAS) has been one of those places forever etched in the minds of mankind, and not just for the unfortunate crash of the Hindenburg.
“Although Navy Lakehurst will always be remembered as the site of the Hindenburg disaster, many other significant events have taken place here,” said Jennifer Suwak, senior vice president for the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society. “Airships Shenandoah, Los Angeles, Akron and Macon all called the NAS home. Navy Lakehurst was also the first international airport in the U.S., plus the first Navy Helicopter Squadron and the first live ejection seat test were at Navy Lakehurst.”
Before it became the Lakehurst NAS property, it originally began in 1916 as an ammunition testing site for the Imperial Russian Army. The property was then purchased by the U.S. Army, later naming it Camp Kendrick. Additional acres would be purchased by the Navy, transitioning the Camp Kendrick property to the Navy over time. In 1921, it was finally renamed Lakehurst Naval Air Station.
After the Wright brothers’ successful conquest of pioneering flight by a motorized airplane in 1903 with the heavier-than-air Wright Flyer (aka Kitty Hawk), interest had surged for more aviation innovations — now knowing that human flight was indeed possible.
In the early 1900s, Germany pioneered the development of zeppelins, a type of rigid airship noted for its lighter-than-air concept, introduced by inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin.
The success of the rigid airships became of great interest to the United States. The aircraft was used primarily for patrolling and bombing missions by Germany; the United States would use them for coastal patrols and keeping American ships protected from submarine attacks. Throughout the 1920s and ’30s, the United States started constructing many rigid airships at the Lakehurst NAS. Navy pilots and crew would be trained to operate the dirigibles.
The first rigid airship constructed at Lakehurst NAS was the USS Shenandoah. Its first flight was in September of 1923. Photo by Rell Clements
Airship Activity Ascends
Hangar No. 1 was the first major facility constructed at Lakehurst NAS, and, today, it is a registered National Historic Landmark. At a construction cost of $4 million, the enormous structure housed helium-filled blimps. The massive steel doors are mounted on a trolley-track system that open with two 20-horsepower motors.
The first rigid airship constructed at Lakehurst NAS was the USS Shenandoah. Its first flight was in September of 1923. It was unfortunately destroyed in September 1925 when passing through a squall-line storm. Caught in a violent updraft and beyond the pressure limits of the gas bags, it tore apart and crashed near Caldwell, Ohio in several pieces.
Hangar No. 1 was also home to the USS Akron and the USS Macon, two rigid Akron-class airships constructed in the early 1930s. Designed to recover heavier-than-air planes, they were both equipped with their own hangar that could store up to five aircraft.
The USS Los Angeles, right, was another airship that was housed at Hangar No. 1. Photo courtesy of U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
The USS Los Angeles was another airship that was housed at Hangar No. 1. It was built by Germany in 1923-24 and was originally known as LZ-126. It was ultimately delivered to the United States as part of the German war reparations from World War I, and the United States mainly used it for tests.
Lakehurst has a total of six, large hangars — the largest blimp complex in the United States. Construction for Hangar No. 2 was completed in 1942 and was used for blimp maintenance. Hangar No. 3 was completed not too far after the completion of Hangar No. 2; it also housed blimps. Hangar No. 4 stored hot air balloons, and Hangars No. 5 and 6 housed additional rigid airships and blimps.
On May 3, 1937, at 7:25 p.m., the Hindenburg caught fire and was quickly consumed by flames. Of the 97 people that were on board, 62 people survived. Photo courtesy of San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
The Hindenburg: A Fiery Fate
Germany’s prized dirigible, the Hindenburg, was the largest ever to have been constructed by the German Zeppelin Co. Lakehurst NAS was the only airbase suited to serve as a port for rigid airships in the United States. On May 3, 1937, the Hindenburg started its 63rd flight. It left the Frankfurt Airfield in Germany and made its way over the Atlantic Ocean. Once it reached the East Coast, it flew over Boston and then New York, finally arriving at Lakehurst NAS on May 6 just after 4 p.m. Poor weather was a concern, so a recommendation was made to the Hindenburg’s captain to delay the landing. Capt. Max Pruss flew the passengers over New Jersey’s seaside to wait for the weather conditions to improve at Lakehurst NAS. Around 6 p.m., weather conditions improved, and it was suitable for landing. Just after 7 p.m., the Hindenburg started its landing procedures, known as the flying moor. Mooring cables and landing ropes were dropped, and, at 7:25 p.m., the Hindenburg caught fire and was quickly consumed by flames. Of the 97 people that were on board, 62 people survived.
In 1951, the Naval Air Technical Training Center was established at Lakehurst NAS. Now known as Naval Aviation Technical Training, it had trained sailors “to serve as aviation boatswain’s mates, aircrew survival equipment men, aerographer’s mates, naval security guards and Marine Corps expeditionary airfield technicians.”
All operations with airships were ceased in 1962 by the Navy. The last nonrigid airship was built by the Goodyear Aircraft Corp. and was the world’s largest. It was stored for many years at Lakehurst NAS, but it currently resides at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla.
A replica of the Hindenburg’s control gondola sits inside Hangar No. 1, which was created for a 1975 movie about the disaster. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Suwak
Keeping A ‘Local Legacy Alive’
The Navy Lakehurst Historical Society (NLHS) is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving the history of the Naval Air Station Lakehurst.
“NLHS is a group of highly skilled and dedicated volunteers that work tirelessly to preserve this history,” Suwak said. “From giving tours and educating the public on the fascinating and important history, to restoring aircraft to military specifications for preservation and education, to creating engaging films to preserve stories of the base and former personnel, the NLHS volunteers help keep history alive at Navy Lakehurst. New members are welcome, and donations are appreciated to help keep this local legacy alive.”
The organization offers free tours, but visitors must be pre-registered. Visit NLHS.com for more information or call 732-600-8055.
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.
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Twenty-five years ago on July 4, a historic event took place on the red planet: NASA’s Mars Pathfinder spacecraft touched down on the surface. Onboard was the Sojourner rover, the first wheeled vehicle to be used on another planet.
The Sojourner rover atop a Martian dune. Part of the Pathfinder mission, Sojourner was the first wheeled vehicle to be used on another planet. Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL
There was nothing ordinary about the Pathfinder mission. It had a unique delivery system that utilized a parachute, rockets and airbags to soften the landing. Once it was cut loose from its parachute, it dropped 100 feet to the surface, like a giant beach ball. Pathfinder bounced more than a dozen times up to 50 feet into the air before coming to rest in an ancient flood plain named Ares Vallis.
Because the engineers couldn’t be sure which way the spacecraft would be oriented after landing, they designed it to open like a flower. The pyramid shape allowed it to automatically flip itself right side up. The petals carried solar panels, which provided power for the spacecraft. The rover was named Sojourner, after the 19th century abolitionist and women’s rights activist, Sojourner Truth. Two days after landing, this little, six-wheeled vehicle rolled down a ramp and across the surface to begin taking images and analyzing the soil and rocks. Originally scheduled for a mission of seven days, the rover went on to operate for 83 days.
Pathfinder was a spectacular success that resulted in 16,500 high-resolution images, more than a dozen chemical analyses of rock and soil samples, as well as 8.5 million weather measurements. This data helped provide evidence of the planet’s warm, wet past. The spacecraft operated until NASA lost contact after Sept. 27, 1997, most likely due to battery failure.
The Pathfinder mission paved the way for more sophisticated rovers, including NASA’s latest Martian explorer, the Perseverance rover, which landed in February 2021. Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Although its lifespan was short, Pathfinder blazed a path for the Mars rovers that followed. NASA landed much larger more sophisticated rovers in 2004: Opportunity and Spirit. These were followed by Curiosity in 2012 and then, last year, by Perseverance. Curiosity and Perseverance continue to explore Mars today.
In addition to NASA’s spacecraft, the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) landed a rover of its own named Zhurong last year. It exceeded its initial 90-day mission but, last month, was shut down due to a dust storm and the weak sunlight during the Martian winter. If the rover survives the cold weather, it may be able to resume exploring later this year.
Both NASA and CNSA have plans to retrieve samples of Martian rock and soil in the near future. These robotic missions are trailblazers for possible human exploration of Mars.
The L.E.A.D. FEST State Fair is a quintessential summer tradition.
Along with a daily lineup of live entertainment, the 2022 L.E.A.D. FEST State Fair is bringing two premier country concert events to the Garden State this summer: the “Roots & Boots Tour” featuring Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye with Tequila Rose on Sunday, June 26, and “Southern Rock Fest” featuring the Marshall Tucker Band, Kentucky Headhunters and Southern Steel on Saturday, July 2.
“These incredible concert events undoubtedly will provide two spectacular days of amazing entertainment, and we are thrilled to be able to bring these talented and award-winning country music artists to the L.E.A.D. FEST State Fair,” said Nick DeMauro, L.E.A.D. executive director. “Each year, our No. 1 goal is to make the State Fair bigger and better. This year we feel we’ve succeeded in creating an affordable event that truly has something for everyone.”
The 11-day State Fair takes place from June 24 to July 4 at Mercer County Park Fairgrounds, 1638 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor Township. Presented by L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence), all L.E.A.D. FEST events benefit the organization’s programs and related initiatives. The Allentown-based nonprofit’s programs help to deter youth and adults from drug use, drug-related crimes, bullying and violence.
The Roots & Boots Tour on June 26 promises to be a powerhouse country concert where Kershaw, Tippin and Raye headline an evening filled with stories, songs and modern country sounds. The trio has amassed almost 70 combined Top 40 hit singles, becoming among the most sought-after country and folk artists on the 2022 music scene. Classic rock and new country group Tequila Rose kicks off the show from 4 to 7 p.m., followed by Roots & Boots from 8 to 10 p.m.
From a first-class Kiddie Land to super-spectacular thrill rides and everything in between, L.E.A.D. FEST State Fair has it all.
On July 2, “Southern Rock Fest” brings another great day of country music to the State Fair. Southern rock tribute band Southern Steel takes the stage from 3 to 5 p.m., followed from 6 to 7:30 p.m. by the Kentucky Headhunters, who created a musical hybrid of honky-tonk, blues and southern rock. Headlining the day are southern rock pioneers The Marshall Tucker Band from 8 to 10 p.m.
Gate admission to the State Fair is $5 on weekdays and $8 on weekends. General admission, ride tickets, Mega Passes and reserved seating for the Roots & Boots Tour and Southern Rock Fest can be purchased in advance online at www.theleadfest.com. Concert tickets include gate admission.
There will be no shortage of delicious food during this year’s L.E.A.D. Fest State Fair.
Family-Friendly Fun
The L.E.A.D. FEST State Fair is a quintessential summer tradition. This year, the jam-packed event will be open Monday through Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., and weekends and July 4 from 1 to 11 p.m.
Favorite attractions making a return include Robinsons Racing Pigs, the always-popular pie eating contest, a petting zoo, educational puppet Granpa Cratchet and Cowtown U.S.A., an all-day exhibit that contains an old-time creamery where patrons participate in preparing a cow for milking by hand. The State Fair’s midway provider, Reithoffer Shows, will ensure there’s plenty of delicious food, carnival games and prizes, and rides for children and adults alike — from a first-class Kiddie Land to super-spectacular thrill rides and everything in between. A new addition to the State Fair this year is a Business and Craft Vendor Tent on the weekends.
L.E.A.D. FEST Carnival
L.E.A.D. FEST carnival will bring the fun to East Brunswick this summer. General admission and ride tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.theleadfest.com.
The carnival schedule is as follows:
Brunswick Square Mall (755 Route 18, East Brunswick) from July 21-31. Hours are Monday to Friday from 5 to 11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 11 p.m. Midway provided by Reithoffer Shows.
For more information and tickets, visit theleadfest.com. For more information about L.E.A.D., visit leadrugs.org or email info@leadrugs.org.
If you’re a movie fan, you should know that films are being made all over New Jersey, with prominent directors, well-known actors and seasoned crews crisscrossing our state. If you were thinking of going to Hollywood for a studio tour, sit tight: There is probably a new film studio opening in your neighborhood.
A photo from 1915 of the Triangle Film Corporation Studio in Fort Lee, which was the birthplace of American film. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
Where It All Began
When Thomas Edison and William Kennedy Dickson invented the movie camera or, as they called it, the kinetoscope, in West Orange in 1891, New Jersey became the birthplace of American film. Then, the action moved to Fort Lee, where some of the greatest silent films with the greatest actors were filmed; and, for a time, Fort Lee was known as the “movie capital of the world.” That all started to change in 1921 when filmmakers headed to California, lured by the temperate climate, cheap land and because it was “where nobody could reach them and they couldn’t be prosecuted for patent violations,” according to Steven Gorelick, executive director of the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission.
After that, New Jersey sightings on film were rare for many years and, except for occasional disparaging remarks, the state was wiped from Hollywood’s vocabulary until the classic “On the Waterfront” was filmed in Hoboken in 1954. Its after-effects lingered in Hoboken for decades, illustrating the lasting power of cinema magic. When I worked there in the ’70s, there was an older dockworker everybody called “Marlon” because he was an extra in the film.
Things changed when Gov. Brendan Byrne established the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission in 1977 with the idea of boosting the economy (there was a recession) and bringing the film industry back home. There were skeptics. “It seemed very poetic, and pie in the sky. Nonetheless, the poets won,” Gorelick said. Some of the films shot here after that include “The Amityville Horror,” “Annie,” “Stardust Memories”and “Atlantic City.”
‘Army of the Dead’ was partially filmed in Atlantic City’s Showboat Hotel, the site of a former casino that closed in 2014, as well as in the empty former Atlantic Club Casino Hotel. Photo courtesy of New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission
Incentives Pay Off
Gorelick has been with the commission since 1980. His first assignment was to visit the set of Milos Forman’s “Ragtime”in Spring Lake and make sure things were going well. That day he knew he would love his job. Still consistently upbeat, the New Brunswick native has an evangelist’s fervor for his mission. The commission’s smart, user-friendly website is worth exploring.
Playwright Sidney Kingsley, who lived in Oakland with his actress wife Madge Evans, was the founding chairman of the commission, and his job was to entice filmmakers back to New Jersey. Kingsley (“Dead End,” “Detective Story”and the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Men in White” are his best-known plays) used his showbusiness savvy and moxie to get the commission off the ground. Filming in-state continued at a slow and steady pace until filmmakers started heading to Canada, which was offering lucrative incentives, and Toronto became New York City’s unconvincing body double. Filming flowed at a trickle until 2006, when the state began offering a 20% tax credit on expenses incurred while filming here, with a $10 million cap annually. When the incentive program ran out of money in 2018, Gov. Chris Christie chose not to renew it, and filming languished.
‘The Many Saints of Newark’ movie was shot in Newark as well as other New Jersey locations, such as Bloomfield, Jersey City and Paterson in 2019. Photo courtesy of New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission
Fade Out, Fade In
Enter Gov. Phil Murphy, who actively supports film making in New Jersey. “We’ve got an incredible diversity of look and feel — urban, suburban, rural, shore, mountains, everything in between,” the governor has said. Another plus is that you can traverse the state in a couple of hours.
Murphy has met with studios in California, and the dynamic New Jersey State Film Commission has been luring filmmakers back to New Jersey at an incredible rate. Michael Uslan, its current chairman, is a native and film veteran who has produced every “Batman” movie so far.
Today, for productions with a budget of more than $1 million, the New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program provides a transferable credit of 30% of qualified film production expenses against the corporation business tax and the gross income tax. For any project under $1 million, the credit can be used if at least 60% of the production expenses are in New Jersey. In addition, there is a diversity incentive of 2% for hiring minorities and women; 5% more is tacked on when production is within the state’s eight southernmost counties. The current system is in place through 2028.
In 2018, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved a program, the Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act, which provides up to $75 million per fiscal year to film and television projects. There is a $10 million yearly cap per project/series. On Jan. 21, 2020, the incentive was extended until 2028. In yet another smart, pay-it-forward move, the state has been working with NBCUniversal on production assistant bootcamps from which graduates are able to leap straight into a production.
Gorelick said that, since the incentive was enacted last July, it has worked brilliantly.
“We’ve been flooded,” he said.
New Jersey has made filmmakers an offer they can’t refuse.
Steven Spielberg shot his 2005 version of “War of the Worlds” in Bayonne, Newark and southern New Jersey. Thanks, in part, to the film commission’s incentives, Spielberg returned in 2019 to shoot many scenes of his acclaimed “West Side Story” here, with Paterson and Newark doubling for Manhattan. (Take that, Toronto!)
Steven Spielberg shot many scenes of his acclaimed ‘West Side Story’ in New Jersey, with Paterson and Newark doubling for Manhattan. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
Landscape Is A Draw
New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission has a smart and engaging short film on its website, hosted by Neptune’s Danny DeVito. It features clips of the many films shot here and includes interviews with industry pros, like producers and location scouts, touting the advantages of shooting in our state and the commission’s extreme user-friendliness. “You can scout New Jersey without having to leave your computer,” Gorelick said in the film. Producers talk about the variety of New Jersey’s landscape, proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, and the talented technicians and artists who live in the state.
In the film, Paterson’s charismatic mayor, Andre Sayegh, rhapsodizes about the charms of his city. “We’re known for our beautiful bones,” he said. For Al Pacino’s “The Hunters,” “We turned the front of City Hall into Warsaw, Poland. The back was Zagreb, Croatia and the side was London, England.” Now, that’s versatility. The video makes it all seem so enticing that you’re tempted to grab a camera and start making your own film.
I live in photogenic Montclair, where a lot of filming happens. William Macy and Diane Keaton were just here filming “Before I Go.” A few years ago, I found a note in my mailbox from a location scout who was interested in my house for a film. I was thrilled. When I called back, some other home had gotten the part, dammit. The commission has a section on its website with photos of prime New Jersey locations in various categories (cities, suburbs, farmland, etc.) to attract filmmakers. If you think you have or know of one, you can upload a photo and submit it to them.
Boasting 70,000 square feet of state-of-the-art production facilities, Cinelease Studios Caven Point is the first purpose-built facility of its kind in New Jersey. Photo courtesy of Cinelease Studios
State Seeing Plenty of ‘Action’
Those pie in the sky poets gambled back in the 1970s, and, eventually, the gamble paid off. But leaving the poetry out of it, the surest sign that movies are back in the Garden State and here to stay is real estate. Filmmakers may love our exotic locations, but one way to keep them coming back and potentially sticking around is to have studio sound stages for all aspects of film production at their fingertips. “You want to build brick-and-mortar businesses that can support, long term, the industry by creating permanent jobs. That means attracting studios, equipment houses, post-production facilities, all of which we’re getting now,” Gorelick said.
In August 2021, Gov. Murphy cut the ribbon on the largest film studio in the state (so far), Cinelease Studios Caven Point, in Jersey City. Boasting 70,000 square feet of state-of-the-art production facilities, it’s also the first purpose-built facility of its kind in New Jersey. In its scope, dimensions and functionality, it is gorgeous.
Now, there are studios all over New Jersey, most of them concentrated in northern sections of the state, including places you might not imagine, like Moonachie and Passaic. Palisade Stages and 10 Basin Studios are two, new, state-of-the-art studios in Kearny with 50,000 square feet of studio space combined — just 15 minutes from Midtown Manhattan. Palisade Stages just completed filming on its first production, “Bros,” cowritten by and starring Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane. It’s the first rom-com from a major studio about a relationship between two gay men. Now filming there is “The Best Man,” a limited series based on the popular films that featured Taye Diggs and Morris Chestnut. Palisade was created by Jamie Payne, who was born in the UK, where he worked in film. When he came to the United States 20 years ago, he was surprised that there were no soundstages in New Jersey, so, taking a giant leap, like the poets and gamblers before him, he built one at the peak of the pandemic.
Hill Theatre Studio has 6,000 square feet of studio space just across the river from Philadelphia in Paulsboro. Photo courtesy of Hill Theatre Studio
All the studio action isn’t only in northern Jersey. Paulsboro in Camden County has Hill Theatre Studio — 6,000 square feet of studio space just across the river from Philadelphia. The new South Jersey Film Cooperative was created to benefit both the communities within Camden and Gloucester counties. Commissioner Director Lou Cappelli said, “Camden County has a unique geography that can serve as the setting to a variety of film projects. Whether it’s the urban backdrop on the Delaware River or the rural terrain in the Pine Barrens, Camden County has much to offer.” More permanent facilities could be on the way in South Jersey; studio developers are looking at locations in South Jersey’s Cumberland County, the Atlantic City area, and Malaga, near Rowan University in Glassboro.
Netflix has been eyeing historic Fort Monmouth (and its hundreds of acres) in Monmouth County as the potential headquarters for its East Coast operation. Nothing could be confirmed at press time, but its addition to the state’s current and planned movie production soundstages makes Warner Bros.’ measly 62 acres in Burbank, Calif. look like a parking lot.
And, to bring it all back home, Fort Lee, the birthplace of American film, will have the Barrymore Film Center, a 21,500-square-foot, 260-seat cinema, museum and movie archives building, scheduled to open in October. When an interviewer called New Jersey “Hollywood East,” Steven Gorelick countered that he preferred to think California as “New Jersey West.”
“These are historic times for the state’s motion picture and television industry,” he said. “Our amazing diversity has made New Jersey a highly desirable place to work, and the financial incentives that Gov. Murphy signed into law opened the floodgates for production. Revenue from production work in 2021 soared to half a billion dollars, an all-time high, and we expect to exceed that in the years to come. New Jersey has become one of the busiest states for production overnight.”
Take that, Hollywood!
Manuel Igrejas has worked in the theater as a playwright and a publicist on and off-Broadway. He was the publicist for Blue Man Group for 15 years, and his other clients included Richard Foreman, John Leguizamo, Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, STREB, Julie Harris and Peak Performances.
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.
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The first veterinary school in New Jersey is expected to open at Rowan University in 2025, and its founding dean, Dr. Matthew Edson, has several goals: to help ease a critical shortage of veterinarians; to give New Jersey residents the opportunity for an affordable veterinary education; and to have them remain in the state once they graduate.
But Edson especially wants Rowan-trained veterinarians to be able to start work from the day they graduate, by providing not just medical training but also the social skills and business expertise needed to run a practice.
“It’s important to view the different aspects of veterinary experience, which is not just puppies and kittens. It’s also the humans they’re attached to,” he said. “Pets don’t come with their own credit card. It’s a human-centric career.”
Edson, a veterinarian for more than a decade, is founder and owner of Rancocas Veterinary Associates of Mount Laurel and Tuckerton. In his new role as the veterinary school’s first dean, Edson said he wants to develop a “less traditional curriculum, incorporating clinical skills” instead of a lecture-based education.
Plans for Rowan University’s new veterinary school were announced at an outdoor event where animals were among the invited guests. Photo courtesy of Rowan University
There are only 33 veterinary schools currently in the United States — and only five on the East Coast. Students from New Jersey who have to pay out-of-state tuition are often left with large tuition debts and cannot afford to return to the state. By offering in-state tuition, Rowan may be able to keep more vets in the Garden State, where almost 60% of households have a pet.
The Rowan School of Veterinary Medicine is still in the design phase, and the New Jersey Legislature approved $75 million for constructing the new school. The 100,000-square-foot facility will have academic classrooms, educational and diagnostic laboratories, a small animal teaching hospital, and administrative and faculty offices. Students will learn hands-on skills at the school’s veterinary facilities, plus some at affiliated practices.
Once the school is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education, the first class will have 60 students, and eventually increase to 90 students.
Ali A. Houshmand, president of Rowan University, noted that Rowan will be “one of only two institutions in the country to offer allopathic, osteopathic and veterinary science medical degrees.
“We are creating a destination of choice for students who share a passion for animal health and who want to pursue careers in veterinary-related studies at all higher education levels,” Houshmand said. “Our curriculum will emphasize developing career-ready professionals to address shortages of animal health care providers in New Jersey and throughout the United States.”
The first veterinary school in New Jersey is expected to open at Rowan University in 2025. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
A less traditional curriculum
Edson noted that many veterinary schools “are heavily lecture-based, providing lots of information” but little hands-on skills. “For us at Rowan, incorporating clinical skills is very important,” he said.
Online, virtual reality and simulation models will also be part of the student learning experience. Students will rotate through all aspects of veterinary medicine — not just small pets, like dogs and cats — and Edson hopes some of Rowan’s new vets will specialize in treating larger animals such as horses and exotics.
Rowan University’s veterinary curriculum will combine teaching, research, clinical observation and evidence-based approaches, with the goal of developing capable veterinarians who are prepared for the rigors of the profession. This approach will differentiate Rowan “from current and costly models of veterinary medical education while bringing innovation in curriculum delivery, operational cost efficiency, affordability and job readiness,” as touted by the university when announcing the new school.
Rowan’s veterinary curriculum will also endorse the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) One Health Concept. One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary approach — working at local, regional, national and global levels — with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes by recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants and their shared environment.
A looming shortage
Rowan’s new veterinary school may help ease the national shortage of veterinarians. According to the AVMA, about 1 in 3 current veterinarians are expected to retire in the next decade, and many own their own practices. The AVMA’s career center website has had more than five times the number of searchable jobs than the number of job seekers.
“Right now there is a huge demand for vets, and we probably won’t have enough vets to meet the demand,” Edson said. “There are people who don’t stay in the profession for lots of different reasons: stress, the work-life balance, the cost of starting out and starting with big student loans that don’t match the ratio of a vet’s salary post-graduation.”
The Rowan School of Veterinary Medicine, led by Founding Dean Dr. Matthew Edson, will pioneer student scholarly research and the discovery of new knowledge in basic and applied sciences. Photo courtesy of Rowan University
From farm kid to founding dean
Edson says his childhood — living on a farm with a variety of animals in Burlington County — influenced his future career. “It was an interesting way to grow up,” he said, adding that he still has many animals: “A few dogs, one cat that lives in my office, a goat, horse, a donkey and a mule, a steer, a camel — a little bit of everything.”
Edson said he hopes to attract “a very diverse group of people to be vet students, with different life experiences.” He graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in animal science, then earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State University. His own path to becoming a veterinarian was preceded by a variety of jobs, including a cow milker at a New Jersey dairy, a lifeguard at the Shore in Long Beach, a paramedic and an adjunct professor in the science, math and technology department at Burlington County College.
Before becoming the founding dean of Rowan’s veterinary school, Edson held many posts related to the care of animals: He was president of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association, a site visitor for the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education, chair and large animal representative on the AVMA Committee on Disaster and Emergency Issues, and vice chair of the AVMA Practice Advisory Panel Pilot.
Although Edson’s veterinary practice treats many family pets, he also specializes in equines, small ruminants, camelids and pot-bellied pig medicine and surgery. He is a national speaker on the care of miniature pigs, backyard poultry and backyard livestock.
Joyce Venezia Suss is a freelance writer and native Jersey girl who has worked for the Associated Press, The Star-Ledger and North Jersey Media Group. She was nominated for a James Beard Journalism Award for a 19-part series on ethnic foods in New Jersey.
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.
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