This week

AVALON'S BEACHES from 9th to 26th Streets were closed three times earlier this week due to medical waste washing ashore. In each instance affected beaches were immediately closed while the waste was collected. Beaches were swept multiple times while officials searched for additional debris.

The concentrated collection of debris, along with the fact that no similar items have been discovered on any nearby beaches, has the State Attorney General's office conducting an investigation as to the origin of the items, with an eye toward possible "sabotage" according to some media reports. The Attorney General's office has posted a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

LEAST AFFORDABLE places to live? New York City, NY; San Francisco, CA; San Luis Obispo, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Cape May County, NJ. Yes, according to the National Association of Home Builders, Cape May County is the sixth least affordable place to live in the United States, with a median sale price of $454,000, and median income of $65,500. Housing prices in the county are skewed by the barrier islands and their high property values, relative to the rest of the county.

RIDE A WWII AIRPLANE: Naval Air Station Wildwood is host to a number of vintage, restored World War II airplanes. The airplanes are available for rides for those interested in experiencing what it was like to fly in combat 60 plus years ago. Even catching a glimpse of one of these old birds from the ground as it flies overhead is a thrill.

BEACH TAG revenue in Stone Harbor was up slightly this year, though the total number of tags sold was down.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Big Band Dance, Avalon Community Hall, Saturday September 6; Avalon Home & Land Owners Association General Meeting, Avalon Senior Center, 10am Saturday, September 13; 26th Annual Wings 'n Water Festival, Wetlands Institute, September 19-21.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!