Thursday, September 13, 2007

Missing Kayaker off Jersey coast...

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The Dive team responded to a request from the Mannasquan Coast Guard station to assist in the search for a missing person last seen on a kayak off of Point Pleasant beach.

Dive Team Captain Chet Nesley provide the following information for this post:
FYI
"The dive team was called out by the coast guard station manasquan inlet today. To help look for a missing kayaker. The kayaker left the beach in point and was never seen again.
We had a good place to start cause you could still see the drag marks in the sand were he put the kayak in the water. It was off new york ave in the beach.
We did a surf line swim for 500yards up current from that point, we had 25 feet of vis. so it was easy going for the divers. We moved the search to the inlet and did a complete search above and below. But came up with nothing.
Will let you know if anything comes up".


The Asbury Park Press provided the following information on their website and entire story can be found at:
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070913/NEWS/70913106


POINT PLEASANT BEACH — Coast Guard officials continue to search for a missing kayaker, who has been identified as a prominent developer from Fort Myers, Fla., who recently has been plagued by lawsuits.
On Wednesday, the Coast Guard received the missing report about D'Alessandro at 1:30 p.m. and a helicopter was on the scene three minutes later, according to Petty Officer Nyx Cangemi.Soon after, the crew discovered an overturned orange kayak about nine miles off shore, he said, adding that authorities have not confirmed that the kayak belonged to the missing boater.
I will be up there this weekend for a scheduled Rescue\Search training session and looks like it will be modified for this incident...

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Augusta County Candidates...

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Spent the day working on getting the signs out for representation with the election less then 60 days away. Picked up numerous new locations and interest in the Republican Candidates is also running high in the County...



Since I was the "Grass-Roots" guy with the pick-up truck it seems I spent most of the day pounding the stakes and putting up the signs while the Candidates stayed on the porch talking politics with the Augusta County residents. In fact several times I went onto the next location because the Candidates were still talking with the citizens who kept them busy with questions and comments about the future of Augusta County... The "Farm Future" issue was very popular and numerous new locations for signs came from the farm community as well as interest in the Republican Candidates...




Jeremy Shifflett, Republican Candidate for the Beverley Manor District, was responsible for generating new locations and additional interest in the Republican Party within the County and Beverley Manor District.












Never...

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After watching the treatment that the Four Star General received from the politicians yesterday in Washington, it was good to see that the "People" of the United States have not forgotten.
Daily News Record had an article today that is worth looking at: http://dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=12143&CHID=1

Sunday, September 09, 2007

A short ride and and something to think about...

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$50,000,000 / $18,000,000,000 = .002777%




At the end of the Buena Vista Parade ~2007~


I started the long walk back to the starting point of the parade and where I left my vehicle before walking with many outstanding Republicans in this yearly Labor Day parade.


It was a long walk back and I was glad to see the offer from the “Sime-mobile” for a ride back to my vehicle…


During the past two election cycles I have had the opportunity to speak and discuss issues with Arin Sime who is the Libertarian Candidate running in the State Senate election for the 24th district. I have always found it interesting talking with Sime and discussing the “Libertarian” view of the economic process and government spending…

Dad always told me that there is “No such thing as a FREE ride” and this lift to my vehicle soon turned to political issues, but I must admit it was I who brought up the transportation issue during this ride…

I told Sime that I had read his comments about funding the transportation issue during the debate between the three candidates that happened the week before… Sime had stated in the Daily News Record article that the Virginia State budget had doubled in less then 10 years and that funding should be found within the existing budget revenue. I replied that I had heard that same info somewhere prior in a recent Republican Primary runoff and smiled…

Sime then leaned over and stated that the $50 million needed for transportation projects only made up .00278% of the $18 Billion budget. Less then a third of 1%…

As I went back to read the Daily News Record article on this debate I found interesting comments and proposals from all three candidates. One that stood out instantly was the comment made by the Democrat Candidate who stated the Abuser Fees “seemed to be at odds with the state’s efforts to make roads safer.” which obviously needs more information because if you want to correct “Abusive” actions an effective way is to hit them in the wallet…

Discussion during the debate turned to possible solutions for the $50 million needed for the transportation projects. Republican Incumbent Candidate Emmett Hanger thought that a possible $1 cent increase in the fuel tax could provide the extra $50 million needed and should be considered…

With no surprise the Democratic Party Candidate saw another potential tax increase so he chimed in with raising the fuel tax by $2 cents for each gallon.
Hey, What’s another $100 million out of the taxpayers pocket?…

Libertarian Candidate Sime referred back to his previous statement about the Virginia State budget doubling over the past ten years.

“It certainly seems,” Sime said, “we can find that level of money in that level of increase in the last decade.”
Interesting ride and conversation on the way back to my vehicle...

"Bonnie Lea" up on the beach...

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I received e-mail from the Rescue Dive Team that another Scallop boat became victim of the season up in New Jersey and ended up on the beach off of New York Avenue in Point Pleasant New Jersey...

Several Dive Team members responded with the First-Aid Squad but the team response was not needed this time. Team member Flo Melo provided these photos of the "Bonnie Lea" after it was determined that the scallop boat could not be pulled off the beach and had to be destroyed...





The Asbury Park Press had good coverage of this incident and follow up story at:

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070908/NEWS02/709080421/1070

"The Bonnie Lee's ill-fated ordeal began more than 12 hours earlier. Matthews said he took it out of the Manasquan Inlet and headed south, only to meet up with high winds. Because of the weather, he said he decided to turn around and head back to the inlet, but on the way back, the boat's motor failed.
"I lost power and ended up on the beach," he said.
Police and Coast Guard officials received word of a vessel with engine trouble about 2:30 a.m., and about five minutes later, the Bonnie Lee had washed up on the beach, police said.
Both agencies said that when the boat's motor stalled, the two men on board were unable to get the anchor out, and jumped off as the vessel washed ashore"






The Point Pleasant Rescue Dive Team has been busy this year with numerous calls to search and support efforts in recovering boats and their personnel. Other incidents can bee viewed at: http://ptrescuedive.blogspot.com/

Photos provided by team member Flo Melo...