74°
The British prince’s brief walking tour included fewer than a dozen homes in upscale Mantoloking, which saw more than 500 ravaged by the storm.
On the flip side, he got a boardwalk look at Seaside Heights, where demolition began today on the Jetstar roller coaster — an iconic image of the storm’s impact on one of the Northeast’s most identifiable regions. He even tossed a few plastic balls along with the governor, winning a “Hello Kitty” doll for a 7-year-old girl.
Jerry DeMarco
Editor / Publisher
Some people took to hoisting Union Jacks to welcome Harry, even though the Continental Congress declared our ancestral colonies independent of Great Britain 237 years ago this July 4.
Harry — who doesn’t include carpentry on his resume — didn’t roll up his sleeves and try to help fix up any of the 360,000 or so New Jersey homes or apartments damaged by the storm.
Nor was any mention made of him dropping a few pounds — as in: dough-re-mi — to help offset the $37 billion cost of repairs.
In the end, When Harry Met Sandy was all it appeared: a weekday publicity stunt that hardly created enough business to warrant Shore operators starting the summer season early.
After getting out of Dodge, Harry was headed for some polo in Connecticut — but not before attending an afternoon event promoting British trade and throwing a pitch to promote a community baseball program made possible by a foundation he helped create.
Tonight, he’s the honored guest at a fundraiser for the foundation.
No fundraisers are planned for New Jersey or its hurricane victims — at least not by Harry’s foundation.
All we got was pompous circumstance.
PHOTO ABOVE: Rich Demczyszyn (On the Spot Graphics)
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mahwah-Ramsey and receive free news updates.
