Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 61: Miss America is Missed by the Downbeach Community

In the July issue of New Jersey Monthly, I looked at what role if any Miss America still plays in the Atlantic City and Downbeach community (that's the catchall term for the towns of Ventnor, Margate and Longport, which share the island with Atlantic City). What I found surprised me. You can read about that here.

I've pitched this story three times. Maybe four. I forget since every time I get my shore pitches ready for magazines, this one is in it. I'd like to write a longer piece about this someday. I've been toying with pitching a book, but Frank Deford's There She Is: The Life and Times of Miss America is so good that I don't know if I could top it. Then again, it was written 40 years ago...hm.

Would you read a serious non-fiction book about Miss America?

News from around the South Jersey Shore

Want to buy a casino? Or at least part of one?

Bill Clinton is coming to...the Atlantic City Hilton? I'd rather see Joan Rivers, who is there this weekend. She's salty.

Bunch of Brits stranded in the U.S. because of the volcano are welcomed into Ocean City. Not a bad place to be.

Think gambling's not addictive? Atlantic City casinos fined for letting in a guy who put himself on the self-exclusion list (meaning he asked to be barred from the casinos). I have to agree with this commentator - is it fair to fine the casinos when the guy tried out 15 IDs and they caught him 13 times?

It's so sad that there's so much struggle to get a supermarket in Atlantic City.

About time. The Dorset Avenue Bridge in Ventnor re-opens.

Hey hey, North Cape May. You're getting a Dollar Tree.

News from Around the Jersey Shore

I'm not the only one who loves the shore in September. Here's a fantastic essay about just that from Amy S. Rosenberg at the Inquirer.

Remember those fancy boats used at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry? They didn't go over so well.

More on the fight to get Strathmere out of Upper Township. They want to join Sea Isle City, which makes sense to me. They're on the same island. And I put them together in one chapter in my book. I'm sure they're considering that in their decision.

Ocean City might not be using rain forest wood to repair the boardwalk after all.

Casino revenues may be down, but NJ Transit ridership is up in Atlantic City.

Speaking of Atlantic City, seven of the 11 casino hotels will have smoke free gaming floors. They'll have dedicated smokers' lounges, but now I can breathe if I happen to blow five bucks on the slots.

A preview of a new casino hotel coming to Atlantic City.

Check out this great article about Cape May from Sunday's New York Daily News.

A short round up of what's going on this weekend at Wildwood's Irish Weekend.

I'll be at Irish Weekend, so check in tomorrow for my preview of how to get your luck on. No book updates, but hopefully I'll have something to share soon!

What I'm Listening to: Preston & Steve on WMMR.