Phil Stilton is the founder and editor of Shore News Network. A 28 year media and technology expert, Phil is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
Eco-Site, a North Carolina based telecommunications firm is proposing to build a 105′ cell tower at 405 Cassville Road (Route 571) in Jackson. The 17 acre property is zoned R3 Residential under the township’s master plan.
In a notice published today, the company is accepting comments from the community regarding this project.
In the public notice published by the company, the property is denoted as a historic property, located near the Cassville Crossroads Historic District and is located across from St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox Church.
Any interested party wishing to submit comments regarding the potential effects the proposed facility may have on any historic property may do so by sending comments to: Project 6116004472-AMG c/o EBI Consulting, 6876 Susquehanna Trail S., York, PA 17403, or via telephone at 585-815-3290.
Celebrating April Fool’s Day is an age old media gag that can’t be passed up. This year, we take a look at the race for New Jersey Governor in New Jersey, one of the most important political elections of the 2017 cycle nationwide. While most of the candidates are playing the Trenton and D.C. political game by the Politics 101 playbook, local resident Joe Rullo has been out there doing his own thing. He’s been ignored by the establishment elite, big money donors and even his own opponents who have already written him off as dead.
Like Donald Trump, many are saying Rullo is doing it for the name recognition, but as the primary heats up, Rullo, is in dead last in every big name poll that sampled 200 or so random landline telephone owners, but he’s won virtually every online poll in the state, yet his opponents, the media and all of the other cogs in the Trenton machine walk by and shake their head at him.
The last time we heard Rullo speak, he said “I’m not like the others”. My mind instantly flashed back to a childhood moment. I was maybe 7 or 8 and Sesame Street was on and the the “Which of these things don’t belong?” game came on. As Rullo was speaking, I was humming the song in my head. I instantly knew that was my 2017 April Fools Day skit for the Shore News Network if he was still in the race.
In 1993, a turn of the century kiln was found while excavating a parking lot between 213 Washington Street and the old Methodist cemetery to its west. There was once a house on the lot, but that was torn down in 1968, 25 years before the find.
An investigation by the county found the kiln may have been used to burn waste. Over 100 prohibition era bottles were also found on the site and the county believed the bottles were thrown down a chute to hide the evidence.
The house was owned by the Ayres family who also owned the Ayres Brickworks, which was located on Bachelor Street in the late 1800’s.
Inside the kiln, workers found bottles that once contained whiskey, gin, root beer and other discarded household glassware. Most were dated between 1890 and 1920.
Here are 10 classic advertisements from the 1976 Dover Township Founder’s Day Souvenir Guide. The advertising gives you glimpse of 1970’s “Toms River” Americana.
This aerial photograph of the small community of Loveladies on Long Beach Island shows the development of Long Beach Island. The original photo was taken in the early to mid 1950’s and the current view is the most recent Google Earth imagery available.
If you look closely, you can see that some of the original homes still exist with modifications and additions. Loveladies is located in the northern section of Long Beach Township on Long Beach Island.
It was a location of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, established in 1871. The land adjacent to the station was owned by Thomas Lovelady and the section of the island was called “Lovelady’s” before eventually evolving into Loveladies.
1950’s photo on file at the oc heritage archive, photographer, origin unknown.Google earth imagery, loveladies, lbi.
Labriute Meals based in Lakewood announced that it has completed Operation Military Passover Meals and that all of the brave men and women in all branches of U.S. military will be able to enjoy Kosher for Passover meals wherever they are.
Labriute Meals was awarded an exclusive three-year DLA contract (Defense Logistics Agency) to supply kosher MREs (meals ready to eat) to troops stationed around the world.
“Passover is an exciting yet challenging period at Labriute Meals. We have to ensure uninterrupted production of our meals to all of our market segments, but shipping meals in time for Passover to our brave men and women of all branches of the United States military is our highest priority,” says Abe Halberstam, President and Founder of Labriute Meals.
“Last year, Labriute was invited to attend the bi-annual JWB convention in Baltimore where I spoke in front of a gathering of all US Military chaplains. It was a humbling experience as well as incredibly gratifying to hear from the chaplains how much our Passover meals mean to our troops. Our Kosher MRE’s in addition to meeting religious observance, also serve as our soldiers’ connection back to their families who have to conduct a “Seder” without them,” continued Mr. Halberstam.
Mr. Halberstam explains, “The challenge stems from having to end our regular production of kosher MREs, then prepare and certify our equipment for our Kosher for Passover so production can begin. It is quite a complex logistical project as we have to coordinate “kashrut” of our plant as well as receipt of all of the Kosher for Passover food ingredients.”
Labriute ships over ten thousand kosher MRE meals which will be dispatched by the DLA to all branches of the military including active engagement territories. “We are truly honored to be part of this project. In 2016, Labriute was called upon to deliver additional meals to our troops. Our trucks drove through the night to meet one of the Navy ships in order for meals to reach their destination. A truly gratifying experience for all of our employees,” said Mr. Halberstam.
Scuffles were seen between Trump supporters and anti-Trump protesters in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, on Saturday after a pro-Trump rally of over 1000 people was interrupted by some people protesting against the President.
JACKSON-The Jackson Township council is preparing for a showdown with the Orthodox community this week as it considers a dormitory ban within its borders. Many in town are left wondering, is the battle over before it even starts after revelations came to light connected the Jackson Township council to powerful professional firms already operating in Lakewood.
Some in town however, are more concerned about the deep political and patronage ties between the city of Lakewood and the rural township of Jackson, left asking themselves how can the people who created Lakewood now be tasked with saving Jackson?
The two towns are not similar in any way to the observing visitor.
Lakewood is a bustling, congested city, literally breaking at the seams. Jackson is a rural community of over 100 square miles, much of the land is environmentally protected and sensitive headwaters.
When you drive from Jackson to Lakewood vice versa, you know exactly where Jackson ends and Lakewood begins. Sleepy tree lined roads turn into high density residential neighborhoods bustling with activity and traffic. High density commercial districts make way for sparse strip malls.
On paper, it’s nearly impossible to tell where Lakewood begins and Jackson ends. The two towns share much more commonality than one would think. That’s because the same power base that has been appointed to run Lakewood’s municipal government, planning board, zoning board and MUA are is nearly identical to the one that runs Jackson.
All of the things that make Lakewood and Jackson similar lead to one common denominator, campaign funding by politically powerful professionals that operate in both towns. In total, between 2012 and 2016, the campaign of Jackson’s township councilmen Ken Bressi, Barry Calogero and Rob Nixon took in over $26,000 in campaign funds from politically appointed professionals that also run Lakewood’s boards even though they had no opponents in their November election.
Why did they take accept nearly $50,000 in total campaign contributions in 2016 in an election where they had no opponents?
The township council in Jackson generously acepted $26,000 in donations from Lakewood’s appointed professionals between 2012 and 2015. During that time, they awarded those same professionals over $6,000,000 dollars in public service contracts.
In an Open Public Records request to the township in 2016, the township provided JTOWN Magazine with the payouts to those professionals. Since our October report on those payouts between 2012 and 2015, the township has since refused to release the 2016 payouts.
Since running our initial report last year on the Jackson council’s campaign pay to play scheme, the township has since stripped JTOWN Magazine of its municipal advertising, delisted it as an official paper of the township, publicly ridiculed the magazine and have been engaged in an underhanded backroom attempt to kill JTOWN Magazine, going as far as fabricating statements released to other newspapers. The council struck back at our meddling in their affairs, enacting fierce and harsh political retribution against our publication.
So what is it that the Jackson Township council doesn’t want the residents of Jackson to know?
They don’t want the residents to know that they originate from the same power and financial base as neighboring Lakewood Township. Ken Bressi, Barry Calogero and Rob Nixon got the bulk of their 2016 campaign funding from the same sources that Lakewood Township’s elected officials got theirs from.
In return, like Lakewood, Jackson appointed those donors with very lucrative municipal public contracts.
For instance, the planning firm that represents Lakewood’s zoning board, council, municipal utilities authority and planning board, Remington and Vernick also represents Jackson’s zoning board, planning board and council as engineer and planner.
Jackson Township now tells the people of the town it is ready to enter battle with the same professionals that have been representing Lakewood for years…really?
The same powers that represents the rampant overgrowth in Lakewood is now tasked with controlling the growth in Jackson, simply because they put money into the campaign coffers of our council.
Many of the same professionals who donated large sums of money to the campaign team of Bressi, Nixon and Calogero were given extremely large payouts over the past four years in Jackson. They also receive large public payouts for their work in Lakewood.
Across the board, when you look at the hired professionals in Lakewood, most of them have also been hired in Jackson. While that in itself could be defended as a coincidence, chance is thrown out of the window when those names are cross referenced with campaign financing paid to the Jackson Township Council, where all of them are listed, according to election filings on record with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
While nothing done in either town is illegal under New Jersey law, residents are left to question what exactly is going on here?
2012 and 2016 financial donors to the campaign of bressi, nixon and calogero in jackson compared to the total contract payout by jackson township to those campaign donors. Note: this is a partial listing.
A pay to play scheme is apparent in Jackson, with stark similarities to Lakewood. Many of those same professionals also funded political campaigns in Lakewood Township in 2016.
In a recent news story about JTOWN Magazine, councilman Barry Calogero balked at a 2016 election satire piece mocking his campaign pay to play scheme, but in January of 2016, Calogero voted yes to hire the Lakewood professionals who donated large sums of money to his campaign.
The same money being thrown around Lakewood for political access is now being thrown around in Jackson Township for similar political access and the township council is throwing a fit because they didn’t want the township’s residents to know.
While Lakewood and Jackson are two completely different towns, on paper, there are very few differences when it comes to who controls both towns, according to NJELEC, records obtained from Jackson Township and meeting minutes from the Jackson and Lakewood 2017 reorganization meetings for both towns’ council, zoning, planning and MUA boards.
Political pay to play is alive and well in Jackson and Lakewood and the ones paying the price will be the residents of both towns.
Partial list of politically appointed professionals in jackson township and lakewood township.
JACKSON-When New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment that would give judges the ability to hold violent criminals behind bars until their trials without bail, nobody would have imagined the end result of that vote would lead to more violent criminals and sexual offenders released from jail before their trials.
Not even those Trenton politicians who supported and voted to keep New Jersey’s bail reform and speedy trial act alive and well were prepared for what came next.
Sexual offenders, domestic violence suspects, drug dealers and more are being released without bail just hours after police arrest them. They’re being released by judges against all logical advice from arresting agencies and prosecutors to keep these offenders behind bars.
One of those Trenton politicians who recently supported a $9.3 million refueling bill to further fund the flawed bail reform act was Assemblyman Ron Dancer, who represents Jackson Township here in Ocean County.
Dancer recently proposed a bill that is aimed at curbing the flow child sex offenders being set free by judges around the state, an unfortunate byproduct of the bail reform act he voted to expand funding for just weeks prior.
“Suspects of sex crimes against children will be kept in jail while waiting for trial under a bill introduced by Assemblyman Ron Dancer. The bill (A4637) amends the new bail reform law, allowing courts to order the pretrial release of some defendants,” Dancer said. “The decision to hold a suspect should be based on the danger to the public and the possibility that more children may be victimized,In the case of sexual attacks on children, it is imperative that we exercise extreme caution. For the sake of potential victims, it makes sense to keep attackers off the streets until the case is decided by the courts.
If approved, Dancer’s measure increases the likelihood a charged suspect would remain held by authorities, and creates an option under the bail reform law for prosecutors to argue for pretrial detention. Keywords here are “likelihood”, “could” and “argue”. In the end, the same judges letting out sex offenders today, would be the same ones looking at a computerized score, letting them out tomorrow.
Sexual offenders aren’t the only ones being sent back into the communities they prey upon. This week, in Manchester Township, a drug dealer caught with over $1 million in heroin was set free hours after he was arrested in a multijurisdictional law enforcement operation.
While criminals across New Jersey are being released by judges under New Jersey’s new bail reform and speedy trial process, the very legislators who facilitated the new system are now scrambling.
They’re scrambling to save face and plug up the holes before a violent criminal, sexual offender, rapist or drug dealer in their own voting district makes headlines prior to this November’s election.
Want to contact your local shore legislators to tell them how you feel about bail reform? Click here for a full list.
High winds and dry conditions have elevated the risk of forest fires today. Residents are warned against discarding smoking materials from their vehicles or in areas where conditions favor easily combustible material. A fire spread rapidly this afternoon on Cedarbridge Avenue in Lakewood. The high winds today can accelerate the spread of fire.
The National Weather Service issued the following statement today:
There is an elevated threat for the spread of wildfires today across eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and eastern Maryland. The fire weather threat is due to a combination of gusty winds and dry conditions.
Westerly winds between 15 to 20 MPH today will gust frequently between 25 to 30 mph today. Relative humidity values are already at or below 30 percent early this morning. The relative humidity may fall into the lower 20s or even teens later this morning and afternoon. These conditions combined with dry fine fuels, such as dead leaves and grasses, will increase the risk for rapid fire spread. Outdoor burning is highly discouraged today.
For more information about wildfire danger, burn restrictions, and wildfire prevention and education, please visit your state forestry or environmental protection website.
The Seaside Heights march has been designated as the official MAGA March for New Jersey and is part of a national pro Trump effort.
“It is about time we stand up for America. We are marching for our President, Vice President, Military, and First Responders. We are the silent majority and we are ready for a real change,” the organization said on its website. “A change for how our Veterans are treated when the focus seems to be somewhere else.”
Some officials in Seaside Heights are concerned about the possibility of organized counter protests to the event which celebrates the presidency of Donald J. Trump. The borough would be on the hook for additional police presence and it may be necessary to enlist the help of outside agencies, including the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department should the alt-left attempt a disruption of the otherwise peaceful pro-American event.
At least one hotel has publicly offered discounts to those coming to the borough to attend the rally.
In Orange County, California, efforts to block the march led county officials to officially close the Costa Mesa fairgrounds the day of the national march.
The rally will feature several guest speakers, although none have officially been announced.
PATERSON-Former Jackson Township Business Administrator Jose “Joey” Torres said today that he is innocent of charges against him levied by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
“I am extremely disappointed and surprised that the Attorney General has elected to pursue this case and file these charges against me,” Torres said. “I have never wavered from the fact that I am innocent.”
Torres is being charged for allegedly directing public workers to perform work at a beer distribution facility being opened by his family. The work, including renovation, painting, carpentry, and electrical work, was allegedly performed while the three supervisors and other DPW employees were working for and being paid by the City of Paterson. City workers were paid overtime for the work, the state says was not only ordered by Torres, but in which he oversaw.
“This is a case of old-school public corruption and abuse of power,” said Attorney General Porrino “Mayor Torres is alleged to have misappropriated public resources and workers to advance a family business, and his co-defendants allegedly joined in his blatantly crooked scheme. We have zero tolerance for this type of abuse of public office in New Jersey.”
Torres today said he was shocked because his lawyer had been engaged in dialogue with the Attorney General’s Office as recently as February 14th.
“We were cooperating,” he said. “We were notified at the last possible moment that the state would be unsealing an indictment.”
“Thankfully, we live in a country where everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Torres added. “an indictment is not a proof of any wrongdoing.”
Torres said when the full story is told, he will be vindicated. Torres said he will not step aside from his duty as mayor and will continue working for the city.
“I do not intend to let these baseless charges deter me from those more important tasks,” Torres said.
JACKSON-On Sunday morning at 03:08 am, the Whitesville & Cassville Fire Departments, along with Jackson EMS, & Jackson Police Department were dispatched to a Structure Fire at the intersection of South St, & 1st St. in Southwinds Mobile Home Park.
While enroute multiple 911 calls received reporting a working structure fire. Upon arrival Whitesville Fire Chief Dave Johnson reported a working fire, with the occupant and his pet had evacuated the home.
Whitesville, Cassville, Jackson fire departments responded with assistance from Joint Base McGuire/Dix/ Lakehurst who provided Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), and Pleasant Plains Fire Department who provided station coverage. The fire was brought under control at 04:18, with units remaining on scene until 06:30.
The cause of the fire at this time is under investigation by Jackson District 2 Fire Marshal Scott Rauch, and Ocean County Fire Marshal John Pasola.
It’s important to note, that the property owner was alerted to the fire by his dog, who jumped on his bed barking, both the owner & the dog escaped unharmed.
At 3:08am on March 5, 2017 the Jackson Police Department received a 911 call regarding a structural fire at 109 First Street. First Street is in the Southwind Mobile Home Development off East Veterans Highway. Upon officer’s arrival, the sole homeowner and his dog were already outside the residence. The homeowner indicated he emptied his ashtray into the garbage can prior to going to sleep. About an hour later, the homeowner stated he was awoken when his dog Marley jumped on his bed to get his attention. After waking, the homeowner noticed smoke in the air, an orange glow coming from the kitchen area of the mobile home and the smoke detectors alarming. The homeowner was able to exit the mobile home through a bedroom window with his dog without sustaining any injuries.
Jackson Fire Companies Station 55, 56 and 57 responded along with Jackson First Aid. The Ocean County Fire Marshall also responded and assisted with the investigation. Jackson Police Officer Javier DeLaTorre, Officer Kafton and Officer Daniels responded and assisted. A portion of the mobile home development and East Veterans Highway were closed to all traffic until approximately 6:30am.
LAKE SARNAC, NY-One of two muslim athletes from India who were rejected entry into the United States during the brief Trump administration extreme vetting process in January is back in the news this week after sexually assaulting a child shortly after he was granted access to enter.
Tanveer Hussain Parra and Abid Kahn were both refused entry into the United States, but after Senators Chuck “crybaby” Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand contacted the U.S. State Department, the two were allowed to enter.
In January, Schumer was shedding tears over Trump’s refusal to let men like Kahn and Hussein into America.
Schumer applauded the athletes’ arrival in New York,”Still a country that welcome athletes from across the globe to compete in our stadiums, our snow-covered fields and everywhere in between.”
Today, the parents of a young girl in Lake Sarnac are shedding tears after Hussein sexually assaulted their daughter.
According to a report published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Hussain was charged with felony first degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a minor.
The incident happened on Monday in the town of St. Armand in a swimming pool. Hussein’s partner Khan said the girl followed the athletes during their stay and said she was “a nut case”.
Hussein and Kahn claim the young girl made up the story, but local police said other witnesses and social media evidence supports the charges against Hussain.
“He is not aware that she is minor in first place,” Kahn said. “We told him later that she is a minor. He doesn’t understand proper English, so he doesn’t know.”
Dan Grilo, a former Hillary Clinton staffer tonight bashed the wife of fallen Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens. Owens was killed on January 29th during a counterterrorism military operation in Yemen.
After receiving an thunderous ovation tonight on Capitol Hill, Owens’ widow Carryn, for her husband’s bravery and service, Grillo ripped into her on Twitter, calling her an idiot.
Within minutes of his tweet, backlash ensued. Minutes later, Grilo made his Twitter account private, hiding from the internet, then locked his account.
On January 25th, 2017 Jackson Liberty High School DECA hosted their community service chapter project to benefit New Eyes For the Needy. Molly Staffordsmith and Alex Lanier, Sophmores, ran the club’s Cornhole Tournament in the main gym on Wednesday night.
The event lasted for two hours and was filled with music, fun, competition, and prizes. The winners of the event won prizes provided by local businesses in Jackson.
The turnout was more than anyone ever expected, and the support shown was tremendous. The two students worked long and hard to raise money for New Eyes For The Needy, an organization that raises money for those who are unable to purchase their own glasses. The goal that the students had to reach was to raise $900 for the cause, at the end of the day they raised well over $1,000. Congratulations and thank you to all that came out to support this great event.
Photos and story submitted by Molly Staffordsmith.
Jackson Liberty student Danielle Notarfrancesco and Jackson Memorial student Jacie Van de Zilver were recognized by the NJSIAA and Women’s Sports Foundation for their excellence in sports and academics in January.
The award is given to girls who demonstrate their ability to excel in athletics and to be role models for other girls. The NJSIAA said in 1982, just 57,789 female student athletes participated in High School Sports. Through their hard work and the hard work of many administrators, parents and faculty in the state, the number is now 117,840. New Jersey is host to 17 sports for girls and 24 state championship events, the most of any state in the United States.
Drug deaths in Ocean County have double over two years despite law enforcement’s best effort to curb the rapidly growing addiction epidemic. Even with Narcan, the opiate reversing nasal spray, deaths continue to increase.
Last month, in conjunction with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office the Brick and Manchester police departments will begin an innovative initiative by partnering with Preferred Behavioral Health in Lakewood and Integrity House in Toms River to pilot the HARP program.
Initially, the two departments and their health providers will make the life changing option available two days a week. Those fighting addiction, regardless of their residency, can go to Manchester Police Department on Wednesday or Brick Police Department on Thursday to seek immediate critical help in fighting drug addiction. The premise of the program is simple – any person who voluntarily enters the two participating agencies and requests help with addiction to heroin or opiates or any substance shall be immediately screened for potential participation in HARP.
Although HARP is primarily designed to apply to persons who present themselves at the station, an officer who encounters a person outside the police station believing they would benefit from HARP has the discretion, based upon their training and experience, to the bring an individual to the police station if the person consents to the voluntary screening process. The officer/shift supervisor, upon completion of the HARP screening process shall provide transportation for the participant to the designated provider as soon as reasonably possible.
On Saturday, January 18th, Jackson residents voted for their new fire district commissioners and fire district budgets.
In Jackson Fire District 2 (Consolidated 1&2), Marty Flemming and Robert Reddington, Jr. won 3 year seats and John Ryan won an unexpired one year term. A strong showing by lifetime resident and community volunteer John Alchevsky fell short.
Voters approved the district budget
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In Jackson Fire District 3, Jackson police office John Seidler won his election against Vincent Nicosia and the district approved the budget.
In Jackson Fire District 4, voters came out to support Wallace Jameson and Ray Torres. Suffering defeats were Jackson Township’s building department head, Barry Olejarz and fire sub-code official, incumbent Ken Byrnes. Brian Ruditsky, a local volunteer firefighter and police officer also lost his bid in the most hotly contested race in the township where district voters voiced their opposition to the political and township establishment candidates.
Voters approved the fire district’s operating budget.
Jackson is broken into three fire districts. Fire districts 2, 3 and 4. Each fire district is independently operated.
After the consolidation of fire districts one and two into fire disctict two, commissioners are now chosen to manage the new consolidated district.
Jackson’s fire districts can seem confusing but if you visit your local fire district website or Facebook page, each provides information on stations in their district and district maps so you can see which district you reside in. All fire districts coordinate with each other during fires and other emergencies.
Kathy Water of the White Butterfly gift shop, owned by former township Mayor Michael Kafton delivered Valentines Day cards made by local residents and students to the Jackson Police Department. Kafton arranged a table at his gift shop and let his customers write their own cards to the Jackson police officers.
The premise of the program is simple – any person who voluntarily enters the two participating agencies and requests help with addiction to heroin or opiates or any substance shall be immediately screened for potential participation in HARP.