This freestanding Victorian, built in 1860, was actually dubbed the neighborhoods most charming house by the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper. Located at 211 Vanderbilt Street, in Windsor Terrace, it is still clad with cedar clapboard and fronted by a covered porch. The fully detached home is also set back from the street, offering the rare front lawn, plus a side walkway that leads to a truly massive backyard. Although the interior has mostly been upgraded, it still holds a few historic surprises. It is plenty charming, but youll have to judge for yourself if the home deserves the title of most charming in all of Windsor Terrace.

This home is on the market for the first time in decades. Its located on a large lot, which leaves room for the front garden and a backyard big enough to hold everything from a vegetable garden to an in-ground swimming pool. And of course, you cant beat that mahogany porch.

The three-story home, with an English basement, is currently configured as two duplex apartments. It could be converted back to a single-family, or theres extra FAR on the lot to add an additionalthough itd be a shame to tacka new construction onto its historic facade.

Both kitchens were renovated with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. New additions sit along historic details like pine floors, five panel doors, bullseye moldings and wainscoting. Reproduction lighting was added in the renovation.

Stairs leading to the second floor boast a beautiful stained glass skyline.

The upper bedrooms, four in total, come with views out onto leafy Vanderbilt Street.

Heres a look at the massive backyard, just waiting to be built out into an outdoor paradise. A pool would look pretty good alongside such a well preserved Victorian pad, dont you think?

[Listing: 211 Vanderbilt Street by Marie Parker for Corcoran]

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Photos courtesy of Corcoran

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Neighborhoods : windsor terrace

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Dubbed 'the neighborhood's most charming house' by the Brooklyn Eagle, this Victorian asks $1.825M - 6Sqft (blog)

The Welles-Turner Memorial Library is so last century.

But that is beginning to change as the town, the library's Second Century Fund, and Friends of the Welles-Turner Memorial Library are funding the $250,000 first phase of a plan to improve the library and members note bring it into the 21st century. The town has kicked in $100,000 through its capital improvement plan, with the Second Century Fund adding another $100,000 and the Friends $50,000.

According to library director Barbara Bailey, work will include reconfiguring the express checkout kiosk and moving the customer service desk to the front entrance of the lower level. Other improvements include an automatic sorter for library materials and the construction of two additional study rooms in the upper level of the building.

"We are very lucky to have these two groups supporting the library," Bailey said.

John Phelan, president of the Second Century Fund, said the group raises money for the library's long-term capital needs. A $50,000 study done several years ago noted the library needed from $3 million to $5 million in improvements and expansions.

"It came with a large price tag, but clearly laid out what the library could be going forward," he said. "It's not just a repository for books. It will always be that, but they are morphing into something greater than that ... while it is a beautiful asset today, it could use some more investment to stay aligned with what the state requires and with what the community requires."

Phelan said he hopes the initial improvement will pique the interest of the community and be able to "get down the road to do a more substantial, major renovation in the future."

"We, as an organization, are committed to the further renovations of the library and we have substantial assets at our disposal today that we would like to expend on the library. ... We hope to partnership with the town and friends to make that happen," he said.

Other proposed future improvements include expanding the young adult room and creating a 2,000-square-foot "maker space" with 3-D printers and computers that might attract teens to the library. There could be other additions to free up library space for programs and a staff room. Also planned are outside seating areas and terraces. New windows and chairs have already been added to the older portion of the library.

"Our goal is to help people see that we have a terrific library now, but it was designed for the needs of the community in the year 2000," said Friends president Linda Obedzinski. "We can have an even better library that meets the needs of the community in year 2020 and looking forward from there. We are hoping this is the first step toward a greater renovation."

Town Council Chairman Stewart "Chip" Beckett III said he appreciated the generous contributions, along with the support and dedication of the groups.

"We've talked about library improvements and other capital improvements," he said. "I'm sure we will spend time talking this summer about when and if and how that will happen."

Link:
Glastonbury Library To Start Work That Will Bring Building Into The 21st Century - Hartford Courant

COLUMBUS, Ohio

The moment weve all been waiting for has finally arrived.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to take on Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals this Thursday at 9 p.m. on ABC. This colossal matchup between the NBAs super powers will be an intense battle theres no doubt about it.

Last years Finals was one for the history books as the King willed the Cavs back from a 3-1 deficit to win the first championship in the Wine and Golds history.

However, despite being the defending NBA champs, the Cavs (51-31, 12-1 this postseason) enter the NBA Finals as underdogs, thanks to the outstanding season the Warriors (67-15) are having. Giant slaying is nothing new to the city of Cleveland, especially when it comes to playing this Warriors team and LeBron is ready for the challenge.

In this series, nothing is going to come easy. Heres what you need to know ahead of game one.

Roster Additions and Breakdowns

Both teams entered this season with the expectation of making this rematch happen, and both lived up to the hype shaping this mammoth matchup thats set to open at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA.

The Cavs roster, which is highlighted by the big three of LBJ, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving, is much improved from last seasons squad that lifted the Larry OBrien trophy for the first time. The midseason additions of Kyle Korver and Deron Williams has provided the Cavs much needed backcourt depth, which figures to play a pivotal role this series trying to contain the NBAs best backcourt. Cleveland is also playing its best basketball when it counts the most, going 12-1 this postseason.

The Warriors ultra-potent offensive attack only got better as they added former NBA MVP Kevin Durant this offseason. The move has paid dividends for the Dubs (12-0 this postseason), as the Blue and Gold have only lost one time (27-1) since March 14th. In addition to the adding the Slim Reaper, the Warriors have also added veteran centers, JaVale McGee and Zaza Pachulia, who both plan to factor into solving the Warriors biggest problem keeping LeBron out of the paint.

The Warriors have a clear advantage at the shooting guard position with Thompson over J.R. Smith, but his disappearing act in last years Finals paired with his drop in offensive production this season leads one to believe he may not have as big of an impact again this year.

Cavs and Warriors more similar than you may know

Last years Finals was perhaps the greatest in NBA history. And when you look at the numbers, its easy to see why you can expect to see another classic seven game series this year.

Both teams are head and shoulders above the rest of the league, that much is obvious to see. But both teams, contrary to popular belief, are more alike than youd think.

For instance, both teams are assassins from long range. During the regular season, the Cavs and Warriors were second and third in three-point percentage, shooting 38.4 and 38.3 percent as a team, respectively.

Those numbers have swayed to favor the Cavs during the playoffs, as Cleveland is shooting 43.5 percent to the Dubs 38.9 percent. But in overall field goal percentage, the Cavs only have a 50.7 to 50.2 percent advantage. Its like splitting hairs when you look at how evenly matched these teams are on paper.

While Cleveland is the better offensive team this postseason (statistically speaking), the Warriors have been the better rebounding and foul shooting team. The Warriors snag 45.8 rebounds per game, which is over four more rebounds than the Cavs 41.6 per game average.

Clevelands path of destruction through the Eastern Conference has been led by the astounding play of James, whos averaging 32.5 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 2.2 steals per game. The world best basketball player is playing out of his mind, and for his standards thats scary.

Golden States offense is driven by Curry. The two-time league MVP is pouring in 28.6 points while dishing out 5.6 dimes per game. Stopping these stars will be the top priorities for both teams; which of course is a lot easier said than done.

What We Learned from the Regular Season

As cute as it is to reference what happened in the regular season, last years Finals showed it doesnt matter nearly as much as one might think. However, it is still notable to take a gander at what happened this year since the teams rosters have changed somewhat.

The two teams played each other twice with both games on National holidays.

The first meeting was claimed by the Cavs 109-108 on Christmas day thanks to a game-winning shot by Uncle Drew, with 3.4 seconds remaining. Durant led all scorers with 36 points on 11/23 shooting, but the Cavs picked up their fourth-straight win against the Warriors, dating back to last years finals.

In the second game this year, Golden State got off the schneid on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, routing the Cavs 126-91 in Oakland. Klay Thompson led all scorers with 26 points on 8/17 shooting including five threes. Six turnovers a piece from James and Irving undoubtedly attributed to this loss for Cleveland.

Despite the teams splitting the regular season series, not too much really should be taken from these games. The Christmas day game was closer to the level of competition we should expect see in the Finals; but even then, the new additions to the Golden State roster were still gelling together. The Cavs blowout loss on MLK Day was during a period of the season where Cleveland appeared to be taking it easy to stay healthy and rested for their run through the East.

An Unlikely Coaching Match Up

During second half of the regular season, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr was ruled out indefinitely due to symptoms (nausea, migraines) related to a back surgery he had two years prior, according to ESPN reports. (PLEASE LINK TO ESPN REPORT: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19288768/steve-kerr-golden-state-warriors-indefinitely-undergoing-more-tests)

And according to reports by Sports Illustrated, Kerr is still not well enough to coach the Warriors.

"As of right now, I would not coach Thursday night," Kerr said. "It's still up in the air."

Kerrs unavailability is nothing new to the Warriors, as last season assistant coach Luke Walton had to step in for Kerr again due to health issues involving his back. But this season it means much more, because ex-Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown will be coaching against some of his former players.

Brown has been downplaying the situation, but recently opened up some about the importance of facing the Cavs with everything on the line.

I just look at it as an opportunity. I have a lot of history in Cleveland, personally, Brown said in an article on the Undefeated. To me, its bigger than that. Obviously, its special to me because it is the Finals.

Brown has done well in his stint as acting head coach since Kerrs injury, but realistically, Kerr still has a heavy input on the Warriors game planning, scouting and team direction meaning that Brown is not in full control of the decision-making process.

When a coach has stick to a script, essentially, its unnatural to his coaching style and may play an impact on how the Warriors fare in the Finals. Having that uncertainty is a true test to the Warriors resiliency. Golden State should be able to handle that adversity, but given the situation one would have to give the coaching advantage to Tyronn Lue and the Cavs.

X-Factors, Likely Scenarios, and a Prediction

When two teams are as evenly matched as these two are, it usually comes down to which team takes care of the little things. Fundamental basketball, such as foul shooting, possession and disciplined defense are all going to play a crucial role in this series. Just as we all witnessed last year, one blocked shot can sway the outcome of a game.

The fundamental aspects of the game favor the Warriors, but one thing that doesnt is the drive and determination of The King. Not only does LeBron play his best basketball against Golden State, but hes playing the best basketball of his career right now. Not to mention, so is Kevin Love.

This postseason James is shooting an astounding 56.6 percent from the floor. He also holds an NBA-best efficiency rating of 35.5 this postseason, and the highest plus/minus of his playoff career (+15.5). These things spell out one thing the Warriors are not going to let LeBron beat them.

Of course, stopping James is the most difficult thing to do in the NBA. Golden State has been burned by LeBron so many times in the past that theres no way they wont have a better game plan for containing him this year. Whether that is a combination of double teams or a concerted effort to force James to shoot long jumpers, the Warriors cannot allow LeBron to continue his stellar postseason run if they wish to avenge last years loss.

The Cavs have a distinct advantage when Steph Curry is matched up on Kyrie Irving as well. As good as Curry is offensively, against the Cavs hes been a defensive liability against Irving. Additionally, you might as well hand the trophy to the Cavs if Curry gets stuck in pick and roll situations guarding LeBron.

On the other side of the ball, the Cavs will have to account for a much more consistent and improved offensive attack thanks to Durant. The Warriors are darn near unbeatable when their offense is firing on all cylinders. Plus, having home court advantage in a seven-game series is a distinct advantage if the Dubs can manage to avoid self-destruction.

All being said, Im calling for the Cavs to win back-to-back titles for the first time in team history. Durant misses the game-winning three at the buzzer of game 7, in a contest dominated by the Cavs big three. The NBA Finals MVP award goes to LeBron James for the second consecutive year.

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Cavs vs. Warriors III is the ultimate NBA finals rematch - ABC6OnYourSide.com

SEOUL - South Korean President Moon Jae-in has ordered a probe after the Defense Ministry failed to inform him that four more launchers for the controversial U.S. THAAD anti-missile system had been brought into the country, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system battery was initially deployed in March in the southeastern region of Seongju with just two of its maximum load of six launchers to counter a growing North Korean missile threat.

During his successful campaign for the May 9 presidential election, Moon called for a parliamentary review of the system, whose deployment has also infuriated China, North Korea's lone major ally.

"President Moon said it was very shocking" to hear the four additional launchers had been installed without being reported to the new government or to the public, presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan told a media briefing.

Moon had campaigned on a more moderate approach to Pyongyang, calling for engagement even as the reclusive state pursues nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions and threats of more sanctions.

The U.S. military in South Korea did not have immediate comment on Moon's comments. The South Korean military also did not immediately comment.

Moon's order of a probe into the THAAD launchers came amid signs of easing tensions between major trading partners South Korea and China.

South Korea's Jeju Air said on Tuesday China has approved a plan to double its flights to the Chinese city of Weihai from June 2.

China has been incensed over the THAAD deployment, fearing it could give the U.S. military the capability of seeing into its own missile systems, and could open the door to a wider deployment of the system, possibly in Japan and elsewhere, military analysts say.

China has denied it had discriminated against South Korean companies, which have faced product boycotts and bans on Chinese tourists visiting South Korea.

A Korean-Chinese joint drama My Goddess, My Mom" starring South Korean actress Lee Da-hae, whose broadcast had been indefinitely delayed in China, was told by its Chinese partner recently that it will soon be aired, according to JS Pictures, Lee's agent.

An official at South Korean tour agency Mode Tour told Reuters it hoped China may lift a ban on selling trips to South Korea, which had been in place since March 15, as early as the second week of June.

Although there have been no official orders from the Chinese government to lift the ban, a few Chinese travel agencies have sent inquiries about package tours, he said.

However, Lotte Group has yet to reopen any of the 74 retail stores in China it was forced to close in March after the group allowed South Korea to install the THAAD system on land it owned.

BOMBER DRILL

The United States, which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, has a mutual defense treaty with Seoul dating back to the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce that has left the peninsula in a technical state of war.

South Korea's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday it had conducted a joint drill with a U.S. supersonic B-1B Lancer bomber on Monday. North Korea's state media had earlier accused the United States of staging "a nuclear bomb dropping drill".

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe talked to Moon by phone on Tuesday, Japan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, and both agreed that North Korea's continued provocations were unacceptable.

Abe told Moon that dialogue for dialogue's sake with North Korea would be meaningless, and that China's role in exerting pressure on the North was important.

The North's KCNA news agency reported leader Kim Jong Un supervised Monday's test of a missile equipped with a new precision guidance system and an improved pre-launch automated sequence and a new mobile launch vehicle.

Kim said North Korea would develop more powerful weapons in multiple phases in accordance with its timetable to defend North Korea against the United States.

"He expressed the conviction that it would make a greater leap forward in this spirit to send a bigger 'gift package' to the Yankees" in retaliation for American military provocation, KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

2017 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.

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'Shocked' SKorea Leader Moon Orders Probe Into US THAAD Additions - Newsmax

TOP AUTO NEWSUse these simple car-buying tips to get a good deal | 1:17

There is a good time to buy a car so that you save the most money, according to car experts. Sean Dowling (@seandowlingtv) has more. Buzz60

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Auto stocks are being held back by concerns about a "lease tsunami" -- as a glut of cars come off leases in 2019 and 2020. Detroit Free Press

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The future of automobile technology keeps getting brighter, but headlights remain dim. USA TODAY

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Alphabet's self-driving car unit, Waymo, could be worth $70 billion. Thats more than Ford, GM, and Tesla. Time

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Ford Motors is expected to give current CEO Mark Fields the boot and promote Jim Hackett. Josh King has the story (@abridgetoland). Buzz60

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Ford has named Jim Hackett as its next CEO, replacing longtime Ford star executive Mark Fields, according to media reports. Elissa Robinson/ DFP

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Ford said Friday it is investing $350 million in its Livonia Transmission Plant to expand its lineup of transmissions and will add 800 new jobs at the plant. The investment will support the production of a new transmission for front-wheel-drive vehicles. Wochit

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A vending machine that dispenses luxury cars to well-heeled buyers is the latest space-saving innovation in land-starved Singapore -- just don't try to shake it if it gets stuck. Video provided by AFP Newslook

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Ford told its employees this morning that it plans to cut 10% of its salaried workforce worldwide, or about 1,400 employees as the automaker prepares to enter a period of declining U.S. industry sales. Wochit

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Use these simple car-buying tips to get a good deal

Auto stocks face future trouble from end of leases

As car technology improves, headlights don't

Alphabet's Waymo could be worth billions

Ford CEO Mark Fields is being ousted

Jim Hackett named Ford's next CEO

Ford to invest $350 million, hire 800 at Livonia plant

Singapore car 'vending machine' dispenses with tradition

Ford to cut 1,400 salaried jobs in North America, Asia

Ford is releasing a a limited edition 2018 Focus RS.(Photo: Ford Motor Co.)

Hot hatch enthusiasts have something new to ogle.

Ford plans to release a limited-edition 2018 version of its powerful Ford Focus RS later this year in the U.S. and Canada. Orders will be taken starting this summer.

Pricing has not yet been released for the 1,500 cars, which Ford says celebrate"the end of run of this generation hot hatch."

The company credited the enthusiast community with providingthe feedback online that led to the car's creation and the inclusion of frequently requested features. Key additions include a limited-slip differential,which can lessen the differencein front wheel spin when one wheel has less traction than the other, new color combinations and styling features.

Read more:

The 'superpower' of Jim Hackett, Ford's new CEO

Hatchbacks stage comeback as other cars slump

We have spent a great deal of time listening to our customers, speaking to ownersclub members, reading comments and suggestions on enthusiast websites, and even studying various forum Photoshop renderings, Henry Ford III, Ford Performance marketing manager, said in a news release. Ford is a great-great-grandson of Henry Ford.

Jamal Hameedi, Ford Performance chief engineer, said in the release thatengineers "have delivered a drivetrain capable of wringing every drop of performance from the engine.

Ford is releasing a a limited edition 2018 Focus RS.(Photo: Ford Motor Company)

The car, made inSaarlouis, Germany,will be available in Race Red or signature Nitrous Blue colors with gloss black roof,mirror caps and rear roof spoiler (which will also have the blue RS logo on the side wings). The car will also have standard 19-inch premium painted forged alloy wheels with blue RS center caps, the release said.

Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan noted in a recent story on the popularity of the hatchback that the "outrageously powerful Focus RS offers all-wheel-drive and (a) 350-hp engine for prices starting at $36,120. It competes with hot hatches from around the world like the $35,655 VW Golf R and Subaru WRX STI."

Inside, the door handles, handbrake lever and turbo boost gauge surround will be "wrapped in carbon fiber skin" on the limited edition. Equipment from the RS2 package is also standard,including "black leather-trimmed Recaroseats with Miko-Dinamica eco-friendly suede microfiber inserts and RS logo, heated front seats with eight-way power drivers seat, heated steering wheel, heated exterior mirrors and voice-activated navigation system."

Other features include all-wheel drive and "launch control for ultimate performance off the start line and 4.7-second 062 m.p.h. acceleration."

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.

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(Editors note: This column is part of an ongoing series on the history of Upper Townships villages. The main sources for this piece was Jean Albrechts A History of Upper Township and Its Villages published in 1989 and H. Stanley Craigs The History of Petersburg, published by Herald Press in Tuckahoe in 1913.)

Joyce van Vorst wrote about the schools in Petersburg:

The first Petersburg school was deeded on Jan. 23, 1814. The money for the building was raised by subscription; each subscriber with a specific number of shares. It was known as The Franklin School and the first teacher was Elias Corson. He taught reading, writing, and arithmetic for a term of two months (48 days) for the sum of $30. He worked a seven-hour day and had to pay his own board. (Obviously no teachers unions existed in 1820.)

The subscribers promised one fourth a cord of wood for each scholar. School commenced on Dec. 28, 1820. The school survived the September 1821 Great Gale (mentioned in the Seaville column) but a new school was built in 1871 not far from the Franklin School, which is now gone. These two schools saw 64 teachers come and go. I wonder why?

In 1952, the modern post-war elementary school was built in Marmora with additions in 1959 and 1963 reflecting the growth of the township. A new middle school was built on Perry Road in 1973 for grades 5-8.

The solitary church in Littleworth was the Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, later to become the Wesley United Methodist Church. It was first organized in 1831 from a prior congregation that was probably meeting in members homes.

Elias Corson and his wife, Abigail, along with nine other Corsons, the Mickels, Godfreys, and a Mr. Peterson formed the initial group. This incorporated group organized to build a meeting house to be called the Wesley Meeting House.

Preachers were scarce in those days so they preached in what was called a circuit much like judges did at the time, riding by horseback or wagon from church to church. In 1839, the existing circuit was divided and the portion including Tuckahoe, Head of the River, Marshallville, Littleworth, Beesleys Point, and later Seaville became known as The Atlantic Circuit. As van Vorst wrote, the congregation of the Wesley Meeting House increased and a larger building was felt necessary.

In 1853 the building on the site was sold and moved to the adjoining lot and converted to a dwelling. The new church building was built by Peter Corson for $3,200 more than $100,000 in 2017.

By 1867 the circuit was divided yet again, this time including the village of Petersburg (with its new name) Beesleys Point and Seaville known as The Petersburg Circuit. Why the Petersburg Circuit? Well, this time the pastor resided in the Petersburg parsonage, and the circuit was so titled.

Eventually, the Methodist Episcopal and Methodist Protestant churches merged to become the Methodist Church and later they combined with the United Brethren to become the United Methodist Church as they are known today.

In 1967 a Sunday school addition was added with a kitchen and dining area in the basement and a stage and auditorium on the second floor. Today, the Petersburg Methodist Church is a healthy and vibrant church in the township.

According to The History of Petersburg (Craig, 1913), the original railroad in Upper Township ran from Middletown to Cedar Swamp Creek crossing the Dennisville Road about where the Killdeer Hill Road branches off. The route was changed at the insistence of the townspeople.

The Philadelphia and Seashore Railway Co. started construction and in 1891 tracks were laid as far south as Corsons Inlet. In 1892 it was completed to Sea Isle City. That same year, the railroad was sold to the West Jersey Railroad which operated it through 1893, when it was sold to the South Jersey Railroad Company, which later sold it to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company.

In 1894, the Ocean City branch was constructed by Henry D. Moore and by 1897 the Ocean City Railroad ran a branch from Cedar Springs through Palermo (that station is now located at Cold Spring Village) and on to Ocean City.

The Reading Company became the owner of the Ocean City Railroad and the Atlantic City Railroad combined with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1933 to become the PA-Reading Seashore Line.

Thousands of tourists, who became known as Shoobies because they often carried their lunches in shoe boxes, came to the shore communities from Philadelphia and points north for very reasonable fares.

I conclude with a very interesting railroad story. A railroad spur was built in 1917 from Middletown into the Tuckahoe Game Preserve, now called the Lester G. MacNamara Wildlife Management Area. This area was used to store ordinance such as shells and bullets destined for Russia, which was fighting the Germans in World War I and losing badly on the eastern front.

The Russian Revolution broke out in November of 1917, so there was no way at that point that weapons or ammunition would be sent to aid Bolsheviks.

The United States entered the war April 6, 1917, after President Woodrow Wilson asked for a declaration of war following numerous instigations by the Germans.

The majority of the workforce in Upper Township was employed at that time by the Bethlehem Loading Company whose headquarters was in Belcoville, Atlantic County a few miles up Route 50. When off duty, workers frequently spent time in the building that now houses the Tuckahoe Bike Shop and, before that, Ann Porters Store. There was a piano and stage in the very back of the building which was used for showing silent movies. Pianos provided the sound track for many early silent films with music especially created to accompany each film. In addition, events were scheduled for music and dancing.

The Bethlehem Loading Company, a subsidiary of Bethlehem Steel Company, produced ammunition for the war effort. The munitions factories were set up in South Jersey ostensibly for secrecy. After the Armistice was declared on Nov. 11, 1918, the location was used for the unloading of shells. There is a dynamite shed still on the property, now used for storage, which dates from World War I.

The foundations of these factory buildings can still be seen today on the Route 50 side of Atlantic County Park. There is a sign which indicates the place and nature of the buildings.

Since were commemorating the 100th anniversary of Americas entry into World War I this year it is fitting to talk about the men from Upper Township who served during the war. Perhaps one or more are your ancestors are among that number.

The Aaron Wittkamp Colwell American Legion Post 239 was chartered after the war on Jan. 27, 1920. It was named for the three men from Upper Township who were killed in France in 1918: John D. Aaron, Frank Wittkamp and Theodore R. Colwell. The original charter members of Post 239 were Rolland van Gilder, Fred Hagelgans, William Wayner, Vince DAgostino, Robert Garrett, James Dailey, Riccardo Balzan, Anther Hess, William Tomlin, Earl Fraser, Charles MaCrea, Stanley Gandy, Dominik Detro, Charles Young, Theodore Young, John Young, and Herbert Hand.

One more for the roadHow many of you knew that the Tuckahoe Game Preserve was also used to house German prisoners of war during World War II? The men were trucked out to work on local farms just as they were in POW camps all over the United States. I once met a taxi cab driver in Berlin back in 1972, who was in a POW camp in Louisiana and picked vegetables until the war was over. He had been captured in North Africa and brought here in 1943. His English was excellent!

These POWs in the game preserve were put up in the roughly built wooden barracks that were probably once used by Civilian Conservation Corps workers back in the 1930s, surrounded by a barbed wire enclosure. Some of the buildings are still there in the game preserve now used by the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife.

The POWs were shipped back to Germany when the war was over. Lifelong township resident Jerry Bailey spoke to me about a German pfennig (penny) which is presently owned by a family member and was found back in the area where the German POWs were housed.

I wonder how many German POWs came back to the U.S. after the war? Many did, although we have no idea as to numbers.

When we reach the story of Strathmere, you will be surprised by a story about a German navy captain who watched the Strathmere shoreline from his U-boat during World War II.

Robert Holden taught at the Ocean City Intermediate School for 31 years, retiring in 2006. He is now a senior adjunct professor of history at Atlantic Cape Community College, where he has focused on Holocaust and Genocide Studies. He has traveled to Holocaust sites in Europe, and in China to study The Rape of Nanking and Japanese aggression in the Pacific. In 2009, he received the Axelrod Award for years of teaching and giving presentations about the Holocaust. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Historical Preservation Society of Upper Township and currently serves as the historian. He lives in Upper Township with his wife Janice Breckley Holden.

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History of the Ten Villages of Upper Township: Petersburg, Part 2 - Shore News Today

ENCINITAS A Superior Court judge has ruled against a residents group that challenged the citys approval of a second-story addition to a duplex on Rosebay Drive in 2016.

The group, which called itself Friends to Preserve Encinitas Beauty, sued Encinitas residents Gina Merchant and Derek Bradley in March 2016, challenging the addition of a 649-square-foot second story to their 863-square-foot duplex.

The group claimed the home remodel would block public and private views, would violate the citys parking requirements, that it didnt follow the citys Design Review Guidelines and that it should have been subject to extensive review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The group also claimed approval would prompt others to build additions which would block the view of neighbors above.

Superior Court Judge Earl Maas on May 10 ruled against the group on all counts. Merchant expressed relief in the ruling.

My husband and I are so relieved to have put this to rest as the weight of the lawsuit has been bearing down on us for 12 long months, Merchant said. We were shocked and disheartened that these people took it this far given that we worked carefully with the city of Encinitas to design a second story that would be considerate of our neighbors and community, and their arguments were completely baseless.

They were just determined to try to bully us with their money. We hope our success will discourage similar NIMBY attacks elsewhere in our community, and empower people to fight for their right to improve their homes, Merchant said.

Everett Delano, the groups attorney, said the group hadnt decided if they would appeal the ruling.

Delano acknowledged that winning the lawsuit was not going to be easy, given they would have to prove the slippery slope the approval would create.

I think it was important to set a precedent that we simply cant sit back and allow this to happen, Delano said. Its not about Derek and Gina, its the concern that if you keep building up, everyone else will build up.

Marco Gonzalez, who represented Merchant and Bradley, called the suit frivolous. Suits like these only serve to fuel the perception that our environmental laws are ineffective and frequently abused, Gonzalez said. I really wish some attorneys would consider the negative consequences to the environmental movement when they bring these types of clearly bogus suits.

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Judge rules against citizens group in duplex suit - Coast News

EXPO CHICAGOhas reeled in some big fish for its sixth edition, which opens at Navy Pier on September 13 (through September 17). The biggest fish on the exhibitor list? Gagosian Gallery, which has not participated in a Chicago fair for decades.

As fairs become increasingly large contributors to mega-galleries bottom lines, dealers decisions about which ones to join can signal where they see potential for market growthand which collectors, and regions, they want to cultivate.

Other notable additions to the sixth edition of EXPO CHICAGO include: Tina Kim Gallery (New York); STANDARD (Oslo); Anton Kern Gallery (New York); Ceysson &Bntire (Saint-tienne, Paris, Luxembourg, New York);galerie frank elbaz (Paris, Dallas); and Galeria Filomena Soares (Lisbon).

Notably, Gagosianhas not hesitated to try out regional fairs in the pastbut it is also not afraid to jump ship if an experiment isnt paying off. Having participated in the Seattle Art Fairs inaugural edition, the gallerydid not return for the second. (After Gagosians Lidia Andich joined the fairs selection committee, the galleryis back on board for the 2017 edition this summer.) Gagosian also participated in FOG Art + Design in San Francisco this January and the Dallas Art Fair in April.

In a statement, the fairs director, Tony Karman, said the latest lineup reflects the international partnerships, collaborations, and programming that our extraordinary staff has encouraged and fostered over the last several years.

This years edition also includes a new section, EXPO Profile, dedicated to single-artist and thematic installations. GRIMM gallery will present works by Charles Avery (and also have a second booth in the main section of the fair) and R & Company will dedicate their booth to the Italian design movement SuperDesign, among other projects.

See the complete list of 2017 exhibitors below.

AKINCI, Amsterdam Ameringer | McEnery | Yohe, New York Anglim Gilbert Gallery, San Francisco BERG Contemporary, Reykjavk Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach Bortolami, New York Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London, Paris, New York CarrerasMugica, Bilbao casati gallery, Chicago David Castillo Gallery, Miami Beach Edward Cella Art & Architecture, Los Angeles Cernuda Arte, Coral Gables James Cohan, New York CONNERSMITH., Washington, DC Corbett vs. Dempsey, Chicago Galerie de Bellefeuille, Montreal Luis De Jesus Los Angeles, Los Angeles Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago galerie frank elbaz, Paris, Dallas Flowers Gallery, London, New York Forum Gallery, New York Honor Fraser, Los Angeles Gagosian, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Paris, Rome, Athens, Geneva, Hong Kong Hilario Galguera Gallery, Mexico City Galerie Gmurzynska, Zrich, St. Moritz, Zug Galerie Laurent Godin, Paris Graphicstudio, Tampa Alexander Gray Associates, New York Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago, New York Garth Greenan Gallery, New York GRIMM, Amsterdam Kavi Gupta, Chicago Hackett Mill, San Francisco HDM Gallery, Beijing, Hangzhou Richard Heller Gallery, Los Angeles Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago The Hole, New York Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York, Zrich MARIANE IBRAHIM, Seattle Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, New York Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York Anton Kern Gallery, New York Tina Kim Gallery, New York KNIG GALERIE, Berlin Alan Koppel Gallery, Chicago Galerie Lelong, New York, Paris Library Street Collective, Detroit Jane Lombard Gallery, New York Diana Lowenstein Gallery, Miami Luhring Augustine, New York Maccarone, New York, Los Angeles Maison Gerard, New York Matthew Marks Gallery, New York, Los Angeles Maruani Mercier, Brussels, Knokke Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art, Vienna, Salzburg McCormick Gallery, Chicago moniquemeloche, Chicago THE MISSION, Chicago Gallery MOMO, Johannesburg, Cape Town Anne Mosseri-Marlio Galerie, Basel David Nolan Gallery, New York Gallery Wendi Norris, San Francisco Richard Norton Gallery, Chicago Claire Oliver Gallery, New York ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul Karla Osorio Gallery, Braslia, So Paulo parrasch heijnen gallery, Los Angeles Peres Projects, Berlin Perrotin, New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo Galerija Gregor Podnar, Berlin Praz-Delavallade, Paris, Los Angeles PROYECTOSMONCLOVA, Mexico City R & Company, New York ANDREW RAFACZ, Chicago RONCHINI, London rosenfeld porcini, London Salon 94, New York Eduardo Secci Contemporary, Florence Carrie Secrist Gallery, Chicago William Shearburn Gallery, St. Louis Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco SIM Galeria, Curitiba Sims Reed Gallery, London Galeria Filomena Soares, Lisbon Sous Les Etoiles Gallery, New York STANDARD (OSLO), Oslo Louis Stern Fine Arts, West Hollywood Allan Stone Projects, New York MARC STRAUS, New York Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong Tandem Press, Madison Galerie Tanit, Beirut, Munich Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris, Brussels Paul Thiebaud Gallery, San Francisco T raywick Contemporary, Berkeley Vallarino Fine Art, New York Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles Von Lintel Gallery, Los Angeles Weinstein Gallery, Minneapolis Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago Pavel Zoubok Gallery, New York David Zwirner, New York, London

For all EXPO Chicago exhibitors including special sections, click here.

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Gagosian Returns to the Midwest, Joining EXPO Chicago After Long Absence From the Windy City - artnet News

The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will meet in the NBA Finals. This is not a recording. But maybe it should be. Because we'll almost certainly play it again next year.

After the Warriors added Kevin Durant last summer, many believed another meeting between the Warriors and Cavs was predestined before the season even began. And unless something crazy happens to sap the strength of either team before next season, it seems likely the cycle will repeat until their respective core players either fall off or break apart. Even with some potential blockbuster offseason moves, it's unlikely any NBA team can assemble the necessary talent to rival either the Warriors or Cavaliers. The NBA, until further notice, is a league of two teams.

In terms of win shares, the Warriors' roster has produced .194 win shares per 48 minutes in the 2017 NBA playoffs, the most this postseason. The Cavaliers are a close second (.190) before a huge drop off to the other teams making it past the first round, such as the Houston Rockets (.116), San Antonio Spurs (.109) and Washington Wizards (.106). That's roughly the same as having a roster full of First-Team All-NBA center Anthony Davis (.196 win shares per 48 minutes) playing against a team made up of Seth (not Steph) Curry clones (.109). Postseason performance is preferred here due to how lackadaisical the Cavaliers were during the regular season - their net rating of 2.9 has since exploded to plus-16.1 in the postseason, despite concerns about their depth and defense before the playoffs began. It seems reasonable to conclude that the Cavaliers' performance we're witnessing now is closer to the "true" Cavs.

Any title contender has a tough task - and there simply aren't enough players available via free agency or trade that can push a team into contention in one off season while also adhering to the salary cap.

It is even uncertain if the San Antonio Spurs - largely considered to be the closest team to joining the NBA's top two - are able to take the next step with a healthy Kawhi Leonard and some additional all-star help.

Leonard was producing a league-high .316 win shares per 48 minutes in the playoffs before getting injured, and the Spurs were still far behind the talent level of the Cavaliers and Warriors. Even adding pending unrestricted free agent point guard Chris Paul, rumored to be interested in joining the Spurs next season, might not be enough to bridge the gap.

Let's say the Spurs are able to add Paul, who would be an upgrade at the point over the injured and aging Tony Parker and Patty Mills. The team would likely have to say goodbye to Pau Gasol, who produced the second-most win shares per 48 minutes on the team last season, in an effort to create cap space.

The Celtics, who rank seventh in postseason win shares per 48 minutes (.080), are expected to make a big leap this summer, thanks in large part to owning the rights to the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft plus enough flexibility to create cap space to sign one of the prominent free agents on the market, like Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward or Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin. They could also use future draft assets, such as next year's unprotected Nets pick, which is likely to be another high lottery selection, to acquire someone like Indiana Pacers forward Paul George or Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler.

Let's assume the Celtics take University of Washington guard Markelle Fultz with the top pick overall in the 2017 draft. In the lottery era, four guards have been selected No. 1 overall: Allen Iverson, John Wall, Kyrie Irving and Derrick Rose. That group produced .072 win shares per 48 minutes during their rookie season and .111 during their first year of postseason play. Let's also look at the best-case scenario for Boston this offseason, which would include it acquiring both Hayward and Butler for next year's playoff run. And finally, let's assume point guard Isaiah Thomas is completely healthy and available for the entire second round of these past playoffs, increasing the baseline of their win shares per 48 before adding the new players. Even with all that, the Celtics' postseason roster would produce .088 wins shares per 48 minutes, leaving them seventh overall, just by a smaller margin.

One caveat, because adding those players would make the Celtics undeniably better: Their win shares this postseason could be skewed because they suffered some completely lopsided losses when they dropped games. Much as we used postseason win shares per 48 because it better identifies the Cavaliers' true ability, using the regular season win shares per 48 for the Celtics gives them a starting point of .117, which would be boosted to .131 by the additions of Butler, Hayward and Fultz. That would certainly push the Celtics closer to competitive territory with the Cavs and Warriors in the win shares category, but they're still a distant third.

Maybe advanced stats like win shares aren't your thing, but we can see the same trend in terms of shooting talent. The Warriors are producing an effective field goal percentage of 57.3 percent, while holding their opponents to a below-average rate of 46.7 percent, giving them the highest net eFG% differential since 1983, the first year data is available. The Cavaliers have the second-highest differential in that span (59.8 and 50.8 percent, respectively). This postseason, no other team comes close with only three others, Houston, Boston and the Milwaukee Bucks, shooting better than their opponents.

It's quite possible it takes a miracle (or significant injury) for a team to dethrone one of the two NBA powerhouses. Or at least a player (or two) that decides winning a title is more important than money, offering a discount to a contender for a chance at winning an elusive NBA championship. Until that scenario materializes however, the NBA can probably get a jump on printing up some Cavaliers-Warriors 2018 NBA Finals gear.

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The Cavaliers will face the Warriors in the 2017 NBA finals. And 2018. And 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Leyden High School District 212 officials purposefully included both current and future Leyden students in groundbreaking ceremonies on May 18, as the district prepares for a historic construction project.

"These projects are looking to the future, and it was important to us that we recognizee the impact they will have on our local elementary students when they come to Leyden," Superintendent Nick Polyak said afterward.

District school board members, administrators and others gathered in the ceremony in the inner courtyard at West Leyden High School, 1000 N. Wolf Road, Northlake.

The ceremony signals "the beginning of a historic construction project that will benefit generations of Leyden students," officials said in their announcement. District plans call for an estimated $55 million project at East Leyden, at 3400 Rose St., in Franklin Park; and a roughly $25 million project at West Leyden, with the goal of "enhancing students' educational experience," officials said, announcing the project.

The work is to be done without the need for a tax referendum, Polyak has said. Working with the district's financial partners, District Business Manager Thomas Janeteas suggested use of a debt certificate as a financing tool that would allow officials to spread the project cost over 20 years, with payments made annually out of the district's operating budget/capital improvement fund.

The work is to include new classrooms and practice rooms for band and choir, a new cafeteria/commons, an enclosed inner courtyard, a preschool and day care facility, and a new aquatic center, Polyak said when he was first announcing the project. Renovated spaces at East Leyden will include a new wrestling room, girls locker room, additional classrooms and a maintenance area, he said.

At West Leyden, an addition is to be built inside a portion of the inner courtyard, he said. The first floor will be a cafeteria/commons addition and a kitchen renovation, Polyak said. The second floor addition will be a new library and media center, he said.

Renovated spaces will include new classrooms, as well as reorganized office spaces, student support areas and more, the superintendent said. He said the additions will result in new cafeterias and common areas "that all of our students will use every day."

Construction is starting first at West Leyden, and the work at East Leyden will begin next school year. The projects are scheduled to be complete for the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, officials said.

Along with the future users, "I would also like to thank our current students and staff members for their patience as we live through construction for the next two years," Polyak said following the groundbreaking.

"The end result will be worth it, and it will provide opportunities for generations of Leyden Eagles," he added.

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Leyden School District 212 breaks ground on construction project ... - Chicago Tribune