Cyclists raise money for Sandy relief under the stars

LONG BRANCH — With the view of the Atlantic Ocean in front and a starlit, evening sky above them, nearly 200 spin-cycling enthusiasts entertained passers-by on the boardwalk at Pier Village last night with a high-intensity workout to raise money for Sandy relief and diabetes research.

Billed as Cycling Under the Stars, the event was hosted and led by fitness instructor Franci Cohen and Gold?s Gym in Long Branch. Participating cyclists and event sponsors raised $8,000 for the Hurricane Sandy NJ Relief Fund and the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure.

Cohen, who teaches fitness classes at gyms in Brooklyn and Long Branch, helped attendees work up a sweat for their causes with a routine that included simulated mountain climbs, downhill racing and weight-lifting.

The beat of pop and dance music pumped. Glowing neon lights flashed. Fog crept across the stage.

?Spinning is a very popular exercise ... many people love to ride,? Cohen said. ?To ride outdoors is fantastic, but under the stars, even more so.

?To do it for a great cause, one that specifically affects New Jersey itself, Hurricane Sandy relief, what could be better than that?? she said.

One hundred stationary bikes were set up on the boardwalk for two, one-hour sessions held Tuesday evening. The cost of each session was $36.

?It?s an intense spin,? said 17-year Red Bank Catholic senior Margaret Rooney of Brielle. ?We go hard.?

Rooney and a group of seven friends turned up for the opportunity to train with Cohen and kick in some funds to the two causes.

?She (Cohen) is a really great teacher but she is very tough to keep pace with,? said Ronette Mansour, 21, a summer resident of Long Branch.

Heavy rainfall during the day almost forced the organizers to hold the event indoors. But the rain clouds dispersed in time for the 8 p.m. kick-off.

?It couldn?t be more perfect. We spoke at one o?clock and it looked like it was going to clear up and be a cool night. And it turned out to be very comfortable for the event, not too hot or muggy,? said Mark Steinfield, owner of Gold?s Gym at Pier Village.

Event sponsors were Jersey Pump, Fuel and Danskin.

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Sandy grants tilted toward neediest NJ homeowners

WOODLAND PARK — Federal rules require that at least half of the Superstorm Sandy aid coming to New Jersey goes to residents at or below moderate income levels, but the Christie administration has tilted the scales even more in favor of lower-income residents, a newspaper found.

The Record looked at about $642 million in grants approved to date through two homeowner programs. One provides up to $150,000 to rebuild and elevate heavily damaged houses. The other, a much smaller program, provides $10,000 checks to homeowners who agree not to move from their home counties for at least three years.

The newspaper found that 69 percent of the rebuilding money is going to low- to moderate-income homeowners.

More affluent homeowners have been awarded 59 percent of the $10,000 grants, which start going out this week.

But overall, 64 cents of every dollar in grant money has gone to low- to moderate-income households, the newspaper reported Monday.

The Christie administration wants to give priority to those most in need, said Richard Constable III, commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs, which is administrating the grants.

But dedicating more housing money to lower-income residents than required also gives the state leeway to spend on other programs that don?t directly help the neediest New Jerseyans, such as small-business grants, Constable told the newspaper.

Another round of federal money for homeowners could be on the way this fall, but the amount and when it will be made available is not yet known.

Although the rebuilding grants may be used to elevate houses, a separate $100 million federal fund announced last week is dedicated exclusively to raising the most flood-prone residences.

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