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09.27.15

PHOTOS BY TOM SPADER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Pope Francis arrives at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia on Saturday. Below, a man finds a unique spot to see the pope. See photo galleries and more at APP.com.

Pope shares message of hope

SHANNON MULLEN @MULLENAPP

ith the birthplace of American liberty as a backdrop, Pope

Inside

Francis offered an impassioned defense of religious liberty

The mall in
front of
Independence Hall
was overfilling with
brotherly
love.
Story, 8A
A full page
of images
from the
popes day in
Philadelphia.
Page 17A
Pope brings
encouragement to
immigrants,
Latinos.
Story, 1B

Saturday and encouraged immigrants struggling to build a

new life for themselves in the U.S. not to lose hope. Do not be
discouraged by whatever challenges and hardships you face,

said the Argentine pontiff, the son of Italian immigrants. I ask you not to forget
that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to your new nation.
The late afternoon event, coming at the tail end of a busy first day in this city, was rich
in symbolism. After a brief private tour of Independence Hall, whose brick and
mortar is still shot through with the revolutionary spirit of Franklin, Adams and Jefferson, Francis emerged from the old building to the stirring trumpet blasts of
See POPE, Page 8A

More trouble for Long Branch plans

DAN RADEL @DANIELRADELAPP

LONG BRANCH A suspicious fire that torched a vacant building here last weekend served as a jarring reminder of the ills facing the lower Broadway corridor,
which has been anathema to new business and investment.
Many of the structures on this swath of Long
Branchs historic main street are shuttered and rotting
into oblivion. In one building, tagged by the city as an
unsafe, the roof has collapsed and vegetation climbs
the walls.
It needs to be redeveloped, said Dimas Montalvo,
proprietor of Montalvos Barber Stylist Salon, one of
only a few businesses that remain open and are weath-

ering the malaise.

Lower Broadway was once a center of activity, including a Paramount Theater and thriving businesses,
the identities of some still are able to discerned from
crumbling building facades. As with so many economic
hubs in Shore communities, the lower Broadway corridor never recovered from the advent of highways and
the trails they blazed to sprawling malls.
But unlike the nearby towns of Red Bank and Asbury
Park, which have made large gains in resurrecting
their downtowns, sometimes storefront by storefront,
Long Branch has been unable to turn this stubborn corner.
DAN RADEL/STAFF PHOTO

See PLANS, Page 13A

Shuttered buildings in Long Branch's lower Broadway area.

Mets clinch
division title
The Mets are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006
after clinching their sixth NL East title on Saturday. STORY, 11C
High school football
Complete coverage in SPORTS and at football.app.com
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VOLUME 136
NUMBER 231
SINCE 1879

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