From Helen Pike’s History and Heritage Journal:

You know Asbury Park is in turn-around when new traditions emerge to complement long-standing ones.  The man who brings us a new way to celebrate our shared heritage is cultural observer Richard Virgilio of The B Plot. He’s a card-carrying member of the Fourth Estate who has embraced the Digital Revolution, evolving his weekly column in The Coaster newspaper to an on-line empire thanks to wordpress and yahoo local: http://www.thebplot.com.

Several years ago Richard launched a much-welcomed tradition that enables annual contributors to share with Coaster readers what they saw as the most magical, and occasionally tragic, moments of the past 12 months.

“I think it’s amazing how they are pretty much all very different,” Richard wrote about this year’s list.

The entries covered a panoply of happenings: Hurricane Irene, falling in love, All Tomorrow’s Parties, the blossoming of the 700 ‘arts block’ on Cookman Avenue, zombies, and music, music, music−you know to whom we’re referring, of course, Bruce Springsteen and his history-marking appearance at the Wonder Bar with the West Side musicians.

Yours truly is part of that trio by citing the Smithsonian’s exhibit “New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music” and the companion anthology “Asbury Park: Where Music Lives”. It isn’t often you can boast of luring Washington, D.C. to the Jersey Shore, but all of us involved in the Asbury Park Musical Heritage Festival 2011 achieved quite a feat that also brought 14,000+ folks to our little gem of a city, many for the first time.

The Coaster goes on sale this Thursday and, following its own 20-plus year tradition, will remain on local newsstands through January 5 when all the swearing-in news of New Year’s Day becomes available.

The B Plot, however, is available 24/7. Check out what excerpts Richard has decided to share with the virtual world. Feel free to drop him a line. If you’ve got something to share, he’d welcome hearing from you. And tell his faith sidekick Truman I sent you.

Truman Virgilio ready for the 2011 Holiday!