| Hi everyone! Sometime in 1969, my father took a day trip to the Jersey Shore from Philadelphia with my Aunt Lillian. She and her husband were looking at properties to buy, and my Dad -- then a young father with a growing family and a blue-collar job -- gave her a ride. Long story short, the day ended with him buying a house, not Aunt Lil, in the tiny town of Villas in Lower Township. The Villas was a bayside blip on the map with one traffic light, a laundromat, a few churches and not much else. But it was affordable, and he signed on the dotted line for a small cottage a few blocks from the Delaware bay, at the princely price of $2,700. "And then he told me he bought it," my mother says. Dad thought the little fixer-upper would be perfect for a woman with a mess of toddlers running around. Very romantic! Turns out, he was on to something. Over the years, we spent many happy summers in the little house, in a quiet, safe town filled with working-class locals and other rowhouse families from Philly. It's a bit noisier today, as people have discovered the Villas, and brand new homes in the $350,000 range are going up -- four on Mom's block so far this year. Fliers from realtors eager to list her house land in the mailbox every day. I know many families have stories like this, about precious little Shore getaways bought in the days when it was possible. But it feels like the Shore is changing. The days when a blue-collar family could own a little slice of the Jersey Shore dream feel almost gone, as home prices continue to soar. In a town like Stone Harbor, a similar bungalow just sold for $1.2 million in a single day -- "more affordable for Stone Harbor," a realtor said. Just last week, we had this piece on what a million bucks will buy you at the Shore these days. The answer: Not the oceanfront mansion of your dreams, but maybe something on the bay in Little Egg Harbor or on a main drag in Cape May. You could have had the tiny Wildwood "pizza slice" cottage, but you would have had to cart it away. It's headed to Upper Township, so the lot can be redeveloped. I love to see the Shore shine, but it's bittersweet to see how much of it is changing. Can we keep the Jersey Shore a place for middle-class families to enjoy and afford, or is it destined to become a playground only for the privileged? I hope not. Also this week, Amazon pulls back, dealing with abandoned boats, pay this man, a long COVID story, and a menthol ban: SHRINKAGE: You might notice fewer Amazon warehouses popping up in New Jersey in the coming years, as the retail giant begins to pull back after a decade of rapid growth here. Jackie Roman has the details. HARBORMASTER: Cape May is one of many waterfront towns dealing with the issue of derelict and abandoned boats, which create environmental hazards. They've just created a new position of harbormaster to help manage the issue locally. PAY THE MAN: James J. Louis, 49, spent nearly 26 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. He's now suing the police and officials who put and kept him there, seeking to regain some of what he's lost. VIRAL PURGATORY: Think COVID is over? It's not for many people struggling with long COVID and with the life-changing effect it had on their families. Elizabeth Llorente has one family's affecting story. MENTHOL BAN: New Jersey isn't waiting for a federal ban on menthol cigarettes which will take years to take effect. Legislators are considering a statewide ban that would kick in more quickly. Finally, a bit of news from me: This will be our last Letter, as I'm leaving NJ.com soon for a terrific new opportunity. It's bittersweet, as writing this weekly note has been such a beloved part of my work each week. Your emails -- good, bad, and otherwise -- have been a source of joy, pride and occasional frustration. But I've been grateful for all of them, as they showed me I was accomplishing my goal of direct connection with the audience that makes NJ.com so special. I hope you'll continue to support the journalists and the journalism that makes a difference. You make it happen. P.S.: Headline of the week! | 