Thursday, May 24, 2012

Highlands Bridge Dedicated In Honor of Joseph Azzolina

photo by Matt Morehead via Facebook
Yesterday the new Highlands Bridge was officially renamed in honor of  long time Middletown resident, former NJ State Senator, NJ Assemblyman and respected local businessman Joseph Azzolina. The bridge is now know as the "Captain Joseph Azzolina Memorial Bridge".

Among those present for the dedication ceremony were Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, Congressman Frank Pallone, State Senator Jennifer Beck and Senator Joseph Kyrillos. Conspicuously missing from the proceedings were representative from Middletown; No Mayor Fiore, No Deputy Mayor Massell, No Township Administrator. Nope, nobody.

How disrespectful was that?


Azzolina who passed away on April 15, 2010, was
 a true patriot, he served in the United States Naval Reserve from 1944-1986, Captain (Retired).  As a reservist, he returned to active duty in 1983 for a tour of seven months – four of them off the coast of Lebanon – aboard the battleship USS New Jersey. He received three Meritorious Service Medals and two Navy Secretary Commendation Medals in addition to other combat awards and honors. As an Assemblyman, Azzolina led the effort to acquire the retired ship and have it docked in New Jersey waters where it has been transformed to a floating museum.

By all accounts yesterday's ceremony was a respectful and fitting tribute to Azzolina, Senators Beck and Kyrillos and Congressman Pallone delivered heartfelt words honoring him. 

I was told however last night by a someone who attended the ceremony, that the lack of any officials from Middletown did not go unnoticed. Evidently the battle scars over the proposed Town Center project still run deep within Middletown's GOP. 



You would think that for just one day, the local Republicans would put aside their differences with the Azzolina family, to honor a man who had done so much for the state and bayshore region and who was so greatly respected by both Democrats and Republicans alike. Instead, they snubbed the Azzolina family and disrespected the memory of "Big" Joe Azzolina himself. 





11 comments:

Ted said...

Carton has a long reach...

Anonymous said...

Carton has puppets that need to go!
At least he could have put some in there with brains!
Oh yeah, then they wouldn't be puppets!
Middletown residents you need to wake up!

Anonymous said...

Another inaccurate post by Middletown's favorite Democratic mouthpiece. Tony Mercantante was in attendance as was Steve Massell.

MiddletownMike said...

Well Anon,

I've now seen well over two dozen pictures and read several accounts of the day's event. Nowhere have a seen or read any evidence that Middletown officials were present.

I think I'll stand by my trusted friends, who were there by the way, to have given me the truth.

Anonymous said...

If Mercantante or Massell were there they would have been following Senator KyrIllos around like puppy dogs. Even though he probably doesn't want to be associated with them anymore as their integrity becomes more and more questionable as time goes on. Just look for pictures of the
Senator and if you don't see their pathetic mugs, they weren't there.

Anonymous said...

Maybe your "trusted" friends only tell you what you want to hear and that will make for "good" headlines for your agenda. You are truly classless for adding a pathetic comment at the end of a great news piece. Capt Joe was a hero not only yo Middletown, but to all of Monmouth County. He disagreed with some of his rank and file republicans in the end, but don't politicize a celebration of a great mans accomplishments for your party's gain, that my friend is classless to a T...

Grow up Mike and form some arguments with indisputable facts and not hearsay. That doesn't hold water in court. And in closing, its ok to agree with the republicans once in a while, we all have something in common and that is the love of our hometown - Middletown!

MiddletownMike said...

Anon 11:42,

You're right, Joe Azzolina was a great man, which makes the snubb that much more glaring.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:42

If the Middletown republicans loved Middletown instead of themselves, they would show far more respect for the citizens and residents who live in this community.

Bunch of parasitic,clueless "numb nuts".

Anonymous said...

Actions mean more than words and if you respected Captain Joe Azzolina as much as you claim you should have told him and respected him while he was still alive!
Even if the Middletown Deputy Mayor and Administrator were there, which I doubt, they should have gotten up and spoke or even better maybe the Mayor and the rest of the Township Committee should of came, but then again in your own words "it wasn't political", hence no personal gain for them.
As far as loving Middletown~ YOU ONLY LOVE YOUR OWN BACKYARD!

Anonymous said...

Steve Massell (Deputy Mayor), Tony Mercantante (Twp Administrator), and Ted Maloney (Twp Engineer) were all there. I saw them.

Anonymous said...

But nobody saw you 2:35