Long Branch – Councilman Bill Dangler announced that on Sept. 15, there will be a ceremony to rename a group of housing units managed by the Long Branch Housing Authority.
Woodrow WIlson Commons will be renamed the Congressman John R. Lewis Commons.
Wilson is one of the seven U.S. Presidents who spent their summers in Long Branch. But in recent years, his racist attitudes while in office, such as increasing segregation of the federal government, have made people question if he should be honored by having buildings named after him. Last year, Monmouth University changed the name of the Wilson Hall to The Great Hall at Shadowlawn.
Lewis was a Congressman and Civil Rights leader.
Earlier this year, the city and Housing Authority reached an agreement. Long Branch would take control of the Bucky James Community Center, in exchange for land to build more affordable housing.
Because Bucky James is owned by the authority, it must comply with regulations by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and that limits the uses for residents who don’t live in authority buildings.
At the moment, Long Branch is waiting for HUD to approve the sale, but officials want to be ready when they can take control of things. Pallone said once the sale is approved, it might be possible for Long Branch to begin managing things before the paperwork is completed.
Officials are putting together a committee to discuss what services Long Branch might offer through the center.
“We will already have some idea of how we want to go,” Dangler said, so Long Branch can hit the ground running.
“Let’s get started. I agree 100 percent,” Pallone said.
Eatontown Memorial Student is 10,000th Child to Benefit from Free Vision Screening by New Jersey’s Eatontown Lions Club The Eatontown Lions Club began its sixth year of vision screening with a bang on Thursday, September 14, 2023. As a result of partnering with the Eatontown and Ocean Township School Districts the Lions club provided the 10,000th free vision screening. On Thursday in recognition as the 10,000th screening recipient, Ashton Vassor, an eighth-grade student at Eatontown’s Memorial School, was given a citation and gift card from the Lions Club. Ashton has been screened annually by the Lions since second grade. Also given a Lions Club Certificate was Memorial School Nurse Lucy Craig, one of the first Eatontown School District nurses to collaborate with the Lions when vision screening began in 2017. She was Ashton’s school nurse at Meadowbrook School when his vision was first screened. Working in conjunction with school nurses, vision screenings are done annually by the Eatontown Lions in September and October for students in Pre-K through 8th grade. “We really appreciate your help as well as the support of the Lions. Your work and partnership with us make a difference. The vision screening process as well as the resources the Lions provide to our students if a vision problem is discovered help our students to be in a better position to learn and succeed. Thank you.” said Scott T. McCue, Superintendent Eatontown Public Schools More than 12 million school-age children in the United States have some form of vision problem. Many vision problems run the risk of becoming permanent if not corrected by the time the eye reaches full maturity. Vision also plays an important role in education. According to educational experts, 80 percent of learning is visual. “Early screening leads to early detection, which helps ensure that children get the follow-up care they need,” said Club President Linda Butler. “We want to make sure that cor