Jersey Shore Media buys former Courier websites

It has been a long time since people have heard from The Inside Clamdigger (www.TheInsideClamdigger.blogspot.com) after The Courier newspaper closed its doors on April 3.

The Clamdigger website, which was originally developed by former Courier Publisher Jim Purcell, was transferred to Bayshore Press just before the newspaper concluded operations. Consequently, according to John Azzolina, vice president of The Courier, there has been a transition period to updating the Clamdigger.

The Inside Clamdigger is now a part of Bayshore Courier News (www.BayshoreCourierNews.com), which is owned by Denise Reinle and Rose Marie Maier. The new ownership tandem formerly worked for The Courier newspaper, as its production manager and sales manager, respectively. The Courier’s website was originally constructed in 2006 by former Courier Associate Editor Jacklyn Corley.

“Ms. Reinle and Ms. Maier realized that digital news is the next generation of journalism. They have resumed the partnership in place with Rutgers University, which was developed by The Courier,” Azzolina said. As part of this partnership, Bayshore Courier News will continue to receive various levels of support from the university.

According to Azzolina, Bayshore Courier News and The Inside Clamdigger were both acquired by Jersey Shore Media, LLC. (t/a. Bayshore Courier News), and he has great confidence in their future. “I think every part of the printed news industry, not only locally but nationally, is going through a very challenging period,” Azzolina said.

The Courier’s printed edition was supposed to be sold to a local media company. However, Azzolina said, negotiations involving the sale of the newspaper could not be concluded. In the meantime, Azzolina said the former employees came to him with a hope of buying the online edition of the newspaper, as well as The Inside Clamdigger, to operate and build.

Reinle concluded, “There is a transition period going on at the websites right now. My mission, and Ms. Maier’s, is to create even better websites that can be the local news sources for Northern Monmouth County online and there is a lot to do in order to get it where I want it.”

For more information call Azzolina at (732) 671-2220, ext. 6210.

52nd Annual Veterans Day Parade to be Held Nov. 8

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ -- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2179, along with its Ladies' and Men's Auxiliaries, Port Monmouth, and the Mayor and Township Committee of Middletown will jointly sponsor the 52nd Annual Veterans Day Parade on November 8. All fraternal, veterans and civic organizations, as well as schools and scout troops, are invited to participate.

The parade will assemble at 12:30 p.m. at the Bayview School, 300 Leonardville Road, Belford. The parade will step off at 1 p.m. and proceed through Campbell's Junction. The theme of this year's parade is "American Heroes." Grand marshals for this year's parade are William J. Travis, past commander of VFW Post 2179, and Mary A. Weber, president of the Ladies Auxiliary.

Interested individuals or groups wishing to participate should contact Jim D'Elia, parade chairman, at (732) 275-1588 (email: jimde55@aol.com).

Former area journalist's book to premier at Keansburg library

KEANSBURG -- Journalist-turned Baptist Minister Jim Purcell will be reading excerpts from his new book, "Faith Outside the City," at the Keansburg Waterfront Public Library, 55 Shore Blvd. on Sat., Oct. 24th. The reading will take place between noon and 2 p.m.

Purcell will be joined at the reading by "World Takes" author Tim Waldron, who is an editor at Word Riot Press, based in Middletown. Waldron will also be reading excerpts from his book, which has been in print for several months and has been featured in such publications as NJ Monthly Magazine.

Purcell, who formerly published The Courier weekly newspaper for Bayshore Press before it closed in April, said he wrote most of the 177-page work last summer. "I think there was this need within me to talk about everyday Christianity, and some of those things that hold people and communities back from finding real peace in faith," Purcell said.

Purcell began attending the New York Theological Seminary, in Manhattan, during 2006. He is scheduled to graduate from the seminary in May, 2010 with a Master's of Professional Studies. Yet, he credits his renewed interest in faith to his coverage of the World Trade Center attack, in Lower Manhattan, during September 2001. Purcell covered the efforts of Keansburg volunteers at Ground Zero, and consequently chose the borough as the place to premier his book. It was at Ground Zero, Purcell said, that his witness to the courage and devastation of the attack sparked his call to ministry after a long absence from his Baptist faith.

"There is a political element to the book, I suppose," Purcell said, "because it talks about those who are marginalized in American communities of faith: homosexuals, the poor, women, immigrants, those of faiths other than Christianity, and minority groups, among others." Inspired by Christian theologians like Cornel West, Obery Hendricks and Dale Irvin, Purcell said he found his voice in print after coming to the realization that much of what separates communities of faith usually has something to do with human agendas. "So much of the pain, guilt and division that plagues us as communities and peoples of faith is this idea that there are some groups that love God or humanity more than others. Walls get put up to people and groups, shutting them out and it is these walls that weaken, not strengthen, our individual and collective beliefs in God and salvation," he said.

Purcell said he would specifically be reading excerpts from his book regarding borough volunteers' efforts at Ground Zero during this upcoming reading. Purcell noted he is also honored to be joined by Waldron, whose work the author said he is a fan of. "Tim Waldron is one of the most talented young writers out there, in my opinion," Purcell said. "He has an amazing amount of talent and I have heard him read his work several times, in venues from Rhode Island to Manhattan, and keep finding new ways to appreciate his work." Purcell also thanked Keansburg Librarian Darlene Franklin for scheduling the reading at the popular borough library. He noted that, when contemplating where he would launch the new book, "It couldn't be anywhere else other than the borough. It is like a second home and a place that has been and is very important to me."

"Faith Outside the City," which is Purcell's first book, is being published by Word Riot Press. The book sells for $14.95 per edition, and will be available for purchase online at Amazon and at selected local bookstores by mid-October. As well as in print, Purcell said "Faith Outside the City" will be available in a Kindle format.

For more information about the reading, call the library at (732) 787-0636..

Supporting the fight against cancer

There is a website that has some great information about breast cancer awareness at www.cancer.org. There has been an increase in the amount of support for fighting cancer that I have seen. In particular, Major League Baseball and the National Football League have each made great strides in becoming partners against cancer. Be sure to link this organization if you operate a site or stop by next time you are browsing the Internet. In the end, we’re all in this one together.