Results from student surveys help place Richard Stockton College among the top 25 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges in the Northeast by the Princeton Review

According to a media release, the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey has been named a “Best in the Northeast” college by the Princeton Review, a nationally recognized education services company. Stockton is one of 218 Northeast institutions profiled on the Princeton Review’s Web site and in its 2011 college guidebook.

(more…)

The Brigantine Beach Volleyball Association (BBVA)’s fifth annual Steve Hopp Memorial Volleyball Tournament is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 8.
For the second straight year, the BBVA is awarding two deserving Atlantic County senior high school volleyball players with $500 cash scholarships in Hopp’s memory. Additionally, volleyball camp sponsorships will be awarded to non-senior athletes to better their volleyball skills. (more…)

Robert Cray and AC Weekly editor Jeff Schwachter

The Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, held July 29-Aug. 1, was a complete success. It was held during a beautiful weekend weather-wise, which brought foodies from all over into Atlantic City.

AC Weekly staffers attended several of the 40 events held at Harrah’s Entertainment’s four properties in town – as well as the kick-off party at the Chelsea – and had a blast.

One highlight for this writer was the Blues, Brews and BBQ event at the House of Blues featuring a concert by the Robert Cray Band and some mighty tasty food from Food Network stars the Neelys. (The BBQ spaghetti was simply amazing.)

Another mind-blowing event was the Grand Market at Bally’s. You had to be there to understand the massive size of this event, which included what seemed like hundreds of vendors offering information about their product(s) and offering samples.

I sampled some very hot coffee at one of the tables and wound up spilling it all over my red shirt. Thankfully, the friendly folks from the New Jersey Beer Company (njbeerco.com) gave me a T-shirt to wear. (Due to the tight-fitting medium sized Tee — see pic — I also got a larger T-shirt from the Brownies Squared table. The company, based in Mays Landing, bakes some delicious brownies, and I’m not just saying that because they lent me a shirt.)

NJ Beer Company homies with Schwachter (and his new T-shirt - thanks guys!)

John McCarthy and the rest of his N.J. Beer Co. crew — great tasting ale, by the way — happened to have their table set up right next to Atlantic City’s own Tony Boloney’s table at the Grand Market.

The night before, Tony Boloney’s owner Mike Hauke took the trophy in Guy Fieri’s Cheesesteak Battle. The next day Hauke was pretty much a legend as his pizza shop on Oriental Avenue was packed with people trying to get a taste of his prize-winning eats.

Tony Boloney's Mike Hauke with his Cheesesteak Battle trophy and Schwachter's pre-coffee-drenched shirt

AC Weekly associate editor Lori Hoffman filed a few reports over the weekend that you can read here, here and here.

Also, AC Weekly columnist David Spatz sent us this report from the four-day festival, which mentions the fact that two of the biggest names at the festival may each open a restaurant in Atlantic City in the not-too-distant future.

Pinky Kravitz

On Wednesday, June 9 — during the second day of the two-day Mid-Atlantic Broadcasters Conference held at Trump Plaza — Pinky Kravitz was bestowed the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award by the New Jersey Broadcasters Association.
The 82-year-old Ventnor resident has been broadcasting in the Atlantic City market for 53 years, including from nearly every A.C. casino. Currently he broadcasts his Pinky’s Corner talk-radio show from the Borgata 4-6pm weekdays on WOND 1400 AM, and does a Saturday evening television show on WMGM-TV 40 out of Linwood from 7:30-8pm. He also writes a weekly column for Atlantic City Weekly.
Paul S. Rotella, president of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association, announced Kravitz as the first recipient of the award at the conference.
“Pinky Kravitz has been called the most significant radio personality in the history of New Jersey, and more Mr. Atlantic City than Mr. Peanut ever was,” said Rotella. “He is an important and impartial advocate for Atlantic City and, indeed, all of New Jersey.”
“I’ve been honored by many organizations over the years,” said Kravitz, “but when it comes from your peers, the industry that you’ve devoted a large portion of your life to, it’s very gratifying.”

One of the A.C. Boardwalk's famed rolling chairs.

TravelandLeisure.com has listed the Atlantic City Boardwalk among “America’s Best Beach Boardwalks.” The Web site says that about 60 U.S. coastal towns have boardwalks, and roughly 25 percent of those include amusement parks that come alive in summer. It lists A.C.’s four-mile stretch of boards No. 3 on a list of 12 iconic Boardwalks across the nation, including Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY, and Virginia Beach Boardwalk on the East Coast, and Long Beach, Hollywood and Santa Cruz boardwalks (all in California) on the West Coast.
“We are honored that Travel and Leisure Online has recognized our Boardwalk as one of the nation’s best,” says Jeff Vasser, president of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, in a media release. “The Boardwalk continues to be a signature tourist attraction year after year and we’re proud to be included in such great company.”

Atlantic City Weekly and The Greater Atlantic City Jaycees presented an “After Party” for The Top 40 Under 40 at the Tun Tavern in Atlantic City Tuesday and we scored interviews with some of this year’s honorees. The sixth annual list honors the best and brightest in the southern New Jersey community. Honorees are nominated by their peers. Check out the video here and this year’s list here.

Slam Dunk the Junk Awards to Be Presented at Boardwalk Hall May 26 — Entries Due by Saturday, April 10

Clean Communities Council Inc., (CCC) a nonprofit corporation funded by the state of New Jersey to reduce litter through education, will honor more than 2,000 kids and teens ranging from kindergarteners to high schoolers who participated in anti-litter projects throughout the state in 2009 during its seventh annual Kids-Teens Awards Program at Boardwalk Hall on May 26.
This year’s event, entitled “Slam Dunk the Junk at the Jersey Shore” will mark the second year of the CCC’s Slam Dunk the Junk statewide anti-litter campaign, and will begin at 8am followed by a basketball performance by the Harlem Wizards at 9am. The award presentations will immediately follow the game. Participants will then enjoy lunch demonstrations, performances, music on the Boardwalk and a trash hunt on the beach. For more on this story, go here.
(more…)

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or my on-going battle to lose weight in our fast food world. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly

As both a film critic and devoted movie buff, I get excited about the “super bowl for movie fans,” the presentation of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, which takes place this Sunday. More often than not I make Veal Oscar and crack open of a bottle of bubbly to enhance my enjoyment of the night. (Check out my predictions here.)

However, the ratings for the telecast have been declining in recent years, as not enough casual movie fans are hanging around to wait for the winners to step to the podium for their golden boys.

The Academy decided this year to try and draw more fans by increasing the best picture nominations from five to ten. The idea was that this would open up the nominations to more mainstream, popular movies. Surveys conducted by the Academy showed that movie fans were tired of seeing movies they didn’t see — and didn’t want to see —winning all the major prizes. Well it worked, as The Blind Side, District 9 and Up joined the expected nominees like The Hurt Locker, Avatar and Inglourious Basterds.

Sandra Bullock

Will The Blind Side win? Not a chance, but Sandra Bullock is the best actress frontrunner for her wonderful performance in the film.

Personally, I think giving out Oscars to movies that were brilliant, even if they weren’t big box office hits, is the way it should be. The ideal behind the Academy Awards is to honor movies that try to do more than earn a boatload of cash. When popular movies are also brilliant examples of artistry, that is the ultimate win win situation for the Academy.

Back in 1998, the success of Titanic, the top grossing movie of all time, gave the Oscar telecast its best ratings in more than 20 years, 57.25 million viewers; by comparison when No Country For Old Men won in 2008, the numbers of viewers was 31.76 million. Both were wonderful, Oscar worthy movies. One was a love story; the other was dark and sad. Dark and sad movies just aren’t going to be major box office hits.
(more…)

On Tuesday, Feb.16, the Greater Atlantic City Concierge Association (GACCA) and the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority Foundation (ACCVAF) teamed up to host a charity wine tasting/art show at the Carisbrooke Inn Bed & Breakfast in Ventnor. The inaugural fundraising event was held to help award scholarships to hospitality majors at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey or Atlantic Cape Community College.

The initial goal was to provide enough funding for two scholarships, but due to the overwhelming response to the event four scholarships will now be awarded with the presentation taking place at the Atlantic City Hosts Awards on May 12 at Historic Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom.

Over 80 people attended the fundraiser, enjoying the food, wine and atmosphere as well as a display of six local artists’ works ranging from pottery to serene beach scenes. The participating artists were Chris Ford, Steve Kuzma, William McKensie, Marie Natale, Sue Van Duyne and Michael Waters.

GACCA and ACCVAF would also like to thank the following sponsors for their contributions: Donna Albano, Craig Puchalsky, Donna Vassallo, B.F. Mazzeo Fruit & Produce, Carisbrooke Inn Bed & Breakfast, Ovations Food Service and Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino. — Jon Heacock

John Emge, Executive Director of The United Way of Atlantic County, presented an award to music legend B.B. King following a concert at Caesars on Saturday (Feb. 13). The “Community Appreciation Award” was given to  King on behalf of United Way for the many contributions he has made to the charity’s annual Auction for the Community, including several autographed guitars over the past several years. This year’s auction will take place Friday, March 19 at Bally’s Atlantic City, and all proceeds will benefit United Way of Atlantic County.