One of the highlights from today was Mayor Carmen Amato and Police Chief Karin DiMichele taking the ice bucket challenge in front of the crowd gathered at Veterans Park for Berkeley Pride Day.
“Berkeley Community Pride day is our annual founders day a day were our community comes together to celebrate community pride,” said Berkeley Mayor Carmen Amato. “All of our community groups will be there selling food as a fundraiser for their organization.”
Photos from Berkeley Pride Day 2015 by Maria Amato-Rosen.
SEASIDE HEIGHTS-Over 2,500 braved the rain on Saturday to enjoy the Seaside Heights Wine Festival. “Glass in your hand…toes in the sand,” is how Michael Graichen, Director of Special Events for the borough described the event which continues on Sunday.
A Lucy impersonator, from the “I Love Lucy Show” put smiles on the faces of hundreds of people as they posed for pictures and stomped grapes together on the boardwalk.
On Sunday, the event will run from 12-5pm with a much better predicted forecast than Saturday.
BRICK-Brick Township High School dominated Brick Memorial through the first half of the annual matchup between these two crosstown rivals. Ja’sir Taylor scored two touchdowns including a 56 yard fumble return.
Jay Obenauer added 6 when he took a ball into the end zone from the Mustangs’ 5 yard line.
The Green Dragons went into halftime up 14-0.
In the fourth quarter, Rashon McCall added more damage for Brick Township with 9 and 7 yard touchdown runs.
Justin Bates scored Memorial’s only touchdown, sans extra-point.
Javeon Harris was 4-4 on the night with extra points for the Green Dragons.
Taylor has 107 yards on 6 carries, Obenauer with 145 yards on 16 carries.
The night was dominated by the running game on both sides.
At the end of the game, Brick fans donned in pink rushed the field to congratulate the team.
Check out this video showing Bate’s run into the endzone.
BERKELEY-Central Regional lost a tough home opener on Friday night, 40-34 against the visiting Lakewood Piners. Amir Tyler scored four touchdowns for Lakewood including an interception he ran back for a touchdown. Tyler rushed for 119 yards on 19 carries.
In the fourth quarter Zayare Jones threw to brother Jyare Jones to put Lakewood in the lead for the win. Jyare Jones also ran the ball into the end zone once.
Central Regional made a late game effort to get back in the game when QB Michael Miserendino ran the ball from the 4 with under a minute left.
TOMS RIVER-The Toms River High School South Indians christened the new Detwiler Stadium on Friday night with a season opening win against Donovan Catholic.
The Indians got an early 7-0 lead when Jaden Kosh took the ball in from the 3 yard line in the first quarter.
Donovan Catholic chipped away in the second with a 30 yard field goal by kicker Giancarlo Stigliano.
The Griffins went up 10-7 in the third when David Calderone rushed from the 10 yard line into the endzone.
In the 4th quarter, South’s Jaden Kosh too a goal line stand into the endzone to give the Indians the 14-10 win.
JACKSON-The Don Connor Cup will remain as it has since its inception in the halls of Jackson Memorial High School as the Jaguars once again manhandled their crosstown rivals at Jackson Liberty.
In the first quarter, Vincent Lee needed just 2 yards to score two touchdowns to put Memorial out with an early lead. A one yard goal line pass from Dan Barker and a 1 yard goal line rush by Lee got things going for Memorial.
In the second quarter, Mikey Gawlik ran 23 yards for a touchdown, but Jared Calhoun, who was 5 for 6 with extra point kicks missed the uprights this time around.
Kyle Johnson stunned Jackson Liberty and their fans with a second quarter 58 yard punt return for a touchdown to make the score 34-0 at half time with the addition of a 57 yard pass from Dan Barker that Johnson took to the end zone.
In the third quarter, Liberty was on the Memorial 5 yard line, poised to break the shutout, but a fumbled ball was recovered by Gawlik who ran it back 95 yards to seal the Lions’ fate.
LANOKA HARBOR-Toms River North’s Mike Husni led the Mariners to a 29-7 win over Lacey Township. Husni completed 6 of 12 passes for 111 yards and rushed for 105 yards and had a touchdown of his own. Bryce Watts scored on a 23 yard run in the first quarter. In the third quarter, Husni connected with Bryce Watts for 37 yard pass to the end zone. Assante Moore scored on a short run in the 4th quarter.
Chase Stephensen was the sole scorer for Lacey on a 6 yard second quarter run.
JACKSON-Six Flags Great Adventure began demolishing the Fort Independence arena, the former home of the theme park’s Dolphin Discovery program, last week to make way for a new attraction at the park.
Built in 1974, it was one of the largest original structures at the theme park. It was originally named “Aqua Spectacle” and seated nearly 2,000 guests. It featured a 16 foot deep pool for dolphins, seals and sea lions. It was once the centerpiece attraction for the park.
Once the home of dare-devil aquatic high divers, it was the centerpiece attraction for decades. During its heydey there were six dolphin shows and six high-diving shows each day.
“The original shows at the Aqua Spectacle were really unique. While most parks that had dolphin shows at the time had two or three performing animals, Great Adventure featured ten performing at one time,” according to GreatAdventureHistory.Com, “The diving shows featured an array of dives from platforms of varying heights, with multiple divers performing stunt dives. The show was capped with the dive from the 100 foot high platform high above the pool.”
The diving shows ended back 2001. In 2002, the more recent Dolphin Discovery programs were established. The dolphin shows came to an end after the 2011 season when Cody, one of dolphins starring in the shows died.
Avalon, the last living performing dolphin at the time was sent back to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California according to Kristin Siebeneicher, spokeswoman for the park.
The arena will make way for a new rollercoaster named Total Mayhem.
“We are thrilled to unveil one of the newest concepts in roller coaster engineering with Total Mayhem,” said Park President John Fitzgerald. “Six Flags Great Adventure’s world-renowned coaster collection will expand into the realm of insanity – or spinsanity – with this new, vertical coaster that delivers gravity-defying somersaults with utter unpredictability. It is the perfect addition to our dynamic line-up of award-winning roller coasters because this ride delivers next generation, cutting-edge thrills.”
Total Mayhem features a twisting and floating experience onboard 4-D wing vehicles that seat up to 8 passengers per car. Face-off seats will allow riders to face each other as they tumble head over heels. A 120-foot-tall, 90-degree hill that is ascended by an elevator-style, chain link lift is accompanied by two beyond 90-degree “raven” drops giving the sensation of free-falling.
Total Mayhem is expected to open in the spring of 2016.
“We are thrilled to unveil one of the newest concepts in roller coaster engineering with Total Mayhem,” said Park President John Fitzgerald. “Six Flags Great Adventure’s world-renowned coaster collection will expand into the realm of insanity – or spinsanity – with this new, vertical coaster that delivers gravity-defying somersaults with utter unpredictability. It is the perfect addition to our dynamic line-up of award-winning roller coasters because this ride delivers next generation, cutting-edge thrills.”
For more information on the history of the arena and Six Flags Great Adventure, GreatAdventureHistory.Com.
BERKELEY-A benefit softball game will be held at Veterans Park on September 26th at 4pm between the Ocean Gate Police Department and Ocean Gate Fire Department. A $7 gate price ($5 in advance) will go towards a fund to build a memorial Statue for the Jason Marles Memorial Park.
Ocean Gate Police Officer Jason Marles was killed by a drunk driver on Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 2010 after working the night shift on a special DUI detail.
This summer, the Where Angels Play Foundation dedicated a playground in his memory.
Advanced tickets are available at the Ocean Gate Police Department.
BEACHWOOD-A Beachwood cat owner was reunited with his feline after it was rescued from the roof of their two-story home in this Toms River area community. Beachwood Police and firefighters from Station 16, Beachwood Volunteer Fire Department responded to the call on Labor Day.
“All lives matter, in this case it’s a cat that was stuck on the roof of a two-story home,” the Beachwood Police Department said. “With the help of the Beachwood Volunteer Fire Company the cat was safely returned to its owner. Great work by our Fire Chief Roger Hull who brought the cat to its owner.”
Firefighters are battling a forest fire that has consumed hundreds of acres in southern New Jersey’s Pine Barrens. The fire broke out on Monday. Officials say no homes are in danger, according to an AP report.
The fire can be smelled in the as far north as northern Ocean County due to atmospheric conditions. The fire is located near the Brendan T. Byrne Forest.
ARLINGTON,VA-On September 1, 2015 members of the Beachwood Fire Department escorted the Miserendino family to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, for the interment of Chief Thomas Miserendino.
“Chief Miserendino was a member of the Fire Department for over 40 years and has the distinction of being our longest serving Chief. Chief Miserendino had a long record of public service to the community of Beachwood,” the department said in a statement.
He served with the United States Navy and is a decorated Vietnam Veteran. Chief Miserendino can now rest in peace in the place he earned on our nation’s most hallowed ground.
TOMS RIVER-It happened during and after Hurricane Sandy throughout the county, but how prepared are Ocean County’s fire fighters for the next natural gas fire or emergency? Beachwood’s Volunteer Fire Department is more prepared after training last week at the Ocean County Fire Academy for just such scenarios.
On the evening of August 28, 2015, members of the Beachwood Fire Department attended advanced training on natural gas emergencies hosted by New Jersey Natural Gas at the Ocean County Fire Academy.
“We would like to thank Roger Grey and his staff from the gas company for allowing us to train with them, as well as Ocean County Fire Academy Director Ray Van Marter for facilitating this outstanding training,” the fire department said in a statement.
MANCHESTER – On Saturday, September 5, 2015 at approximately 11:04 pm, members of the Manchester Township Police responded to the area of Route 37 and Colonial Drive for the report of an overturned vehicle. Upon arrival, officers located a, silver, 2012 Chevrolet Impala on its roof in the eastbound lanes of Route 37 just past the intersection of Colonial Drive. Initial investigation revealed that the Impala was traveling westbound on Route 37 when it failed to maintain its lane of travel and collided head-on with the concrete center divider in the area of Colonial Drive. The vehicle then went airborne, crossed over the concrete divider and travelled approximately 70 feet, before it flipped over onto its passenger side and rolled onto its roof in the eastbound lanes of Route 37. After landing in the eastbound lanes, the vehicle proceeded to slide on its roof in a westbound direction on Route 37 before coming to final rest approximately 320 feet from initial impact with the median. The driver, 21 year old Eric Larson of Jackson, was properly restrained at the time of collision and refused any medical treatment at the scene. The passenger, 22 year old Taylor Bromberg, was also properly restrained; however, he sustained significant abdominal injuries. Bromberg was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River by the Manchester Township Volunteer First Aid Squad where is condition is not immediately known. Also assisting at the scene were paramedics from MONOC as well as members of the Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Department, and the New Jersey State Department of Transportation. The crash remains under investigation by Patrolman Ian Bole from the Manchester Township Police Department’s Traffic Safety Section.
BRICK-Tuesday’s manatee sighting at Beaton’s Boatyard in Brick Township means boaters in the Barnegat Bay should use caution this weekend and to be on the lookout. Collisions with watercraft in Florida, manatee’s native home account for a large majority of their deaths in those waters each year. Approximately 70 manatees were killed in Florida in boating or jet ski crashes between January and September of this year.
Beaton’s posted pictures of their sighting on their Facebook page. The boatyard is located at the northern end of the Barnegat Bay, just south of the Mantoloking Bridge.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center which monitors and cares for distressed seals and other marine wildlife urges boaters to slow down.
“Watch out for our slow tropical friends, give them lots of space and slow down,” MMSC said.
If you see a manatee or seal in distress in the Barnegat Bay, you should call the MMSC.
“The best way to inform us of stranded animals is to call us,” the said. “Please call 609-266-0538 to report stranded marine mammals and sea turtles.”
Manatees in New Jersey are not a new phenomenon. In 2009, MMSC successfully rescued a manatee named Ilya who was going into hypothermia in the cold Jersey water.
“After a few days of stabilization at our facility we found him a ride to Florida via the US Coast Guard Atlantic City, who was heading that way on a training mission,” the said. “Ilya spent a few months in rehab and was successfully released back into Florida’s waters.”
The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration also advises New Jersey residents that it is illegal to feed or harass marine mammals.
“Feeding, attempting to feed, or otherwise harassing marine mammals in the wild was made illegal because it is harmful to the animals,” the NOAA said. “It causes marine mammals to lose their natural wariness of humans or boats and become conditioned to receiving handouts and associate people with food, It changes their natural behaviors, including feeding and migration activities, and decreases their willingness to forage for food on their own. They may also begin to take bait/catch from fishing gear.”
These changed behaviors may be passed on to their young and other members of their social groups and increases their risk of injury from boats, entanglement in fishing gear, and intentional harm by people frustrated with the behavioral changes, according to the NOAA.
“Some of the items that are fed to marine mammals may be contaminated (old or spoiled) or not food at all. Feeding marine mammals inappropriate food, non-food items, or contaminated food jeopardizes their health,” an online notice read.
Viewing of marine mammals should be done at a safe distance to allow the animal to be uninterrupted in their activities. You should never attempt to swim with or touch dolphins, manatees, seals or other marine mammals you might encounter in the water.
Those caught and accused of violating the Marine Protection Act can be subjected to fines of up to $11,000, up to one year in prison and forfeiture of their vessel.
TOMS RIVER-When international cricket superstar MS Dhoni made a visit to a Toms River temple last week, it highlighted Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy’s neverending community outreach effort with the county’s diverse cultural sub-communities. Since his days as chief of the Toms River Police Department, Mastronardy was always on the front lines with his officers, leading from the front.
It was no different when Dhoni came to town and the Siddhi Vinayak temple asked for added security for the V.I.P.
“We have very good relationships with all of Ocean County’s diverse communities,” Mastronardy said. “They asked us to come and we were there.”
Mastronardy joined Dhoni on stage and welcomed him to Toms River, one of his first and only U.S. appearances.
Dhoni is an internationally recognized sports superstar and one of the top paid professional athletes in the world. Mastronardy said he knew Dhoni was a V.I.P., but didn’t realize how popular he is worldwide.
Dhoni has more Facebook followers than Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Tom Brady and Donald Trump…combined.
“Really?” Mastronardy said. “I had no idea.”
Over the past few decades, Ocean County has transformed into an extremely diverse community with many different cultures. Toms River has Muslim mosques, hindu temples and a large population of Orthodox Jews.
Mastronardy said it’s important for he and his officers to familiarize themselves with rules and traditions of each culture in order for his officers to do their job properly and effectively when engaging with members of each community.
BERKELEY-After Hurricane Sandy devastated large sections of Ocean County and neighborhoods in Berkeley Township, many felt they weren’t given proper treatment by FEMA. Now, Mayor Carmen Amato said time is running out to have your claim re-examined.
“Since Superstorm Sandy hit our township, we have been dealing with its aftermath,” Amato said. “Homeowners, at no fault of their own, have to deal with FEMA, insurance companies and other agencies to try to obtain funding to rebuild. I speak to residents on a daily basis and understand they are frustrated and suffering from Sandy fatigue from the endless paperwork and phone calls.”
FEMA would not confirm allegations of wrongdoing to Ocean County residents after Sandy, but did say, “There have been allegations that some policyholders were underpaid for their Hurricane Sandy claims and that the claims process was not effective. FEMA wants to make sure policyholders who filed Sandy claims are paid what they are owed under their policy,” in a statement.
You must request a review no later than Sept. 15, 2015.
To re-open and review your claim, call toll-free 866-337-4262.A call center representative will ask you some questions to verify that you qualify for a review of your claim.
“The procedure for processing claims has been flawed. I am encouraging all residents to file,” Amato said. “I want to thank Senator Menendez, Congressman MacArthur and George Kasimos, of Stop-FEMA-Now, for their efforts.”
Amato also thank U.S. Congressman Tom MacArthur for his efforts in Congress to represent Ocean County’s Sandy survivors.
JACKSON-Ocean County’s engineering department is waiting for JCP&L and other utilities to relocate utility poles and lines before the county can finally complete a multi-year project to repave the entire length of East Veterans Highway. The project to repave and add various safety improvements along the stretch of road between Sienna Drive and Whitesville Road is expected to be completed by December.
Aside from repaving the road surface, Ocean County Engineer Frank Scarantino said the county will improve shoulders and drainage issues over the next three months.
CJ Hesse has been awarded the contract for the work at the price of $2,984,941.00. The company was the lowest qualified bidder, approved by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders in February.
“Once the utilities are moved, we will come right in and finish,” Scarantino said. “We can have our part of the project done 60 days later once they start.”
The project was part of an overall project that saw the road paved between Cross Street and Whitesville Road, with traffic improvements at both Whitesville Road and Hope Chapel Road and safety improvements at the western end of the road.
Near the Jackson Little League fields, towards Bennett’s Mills Road, the county softened or widened the arc at the dangerous curve that was host to several fatalities in the past and added numerous other safety improvements including speed indicators and light at the intersection of Grand Boulevard and Butterfly Road.
Signs warning of construction were placed along the road this week near the Bunker Hill Bogs wildlife management area where the telephone poles will be moved further from the road.
The project, which was in the planning stages for many years, but was given priority in 2011, after a deadly year in 2009 when fatalities along the road reached an all-time yearly high. Fatalities have dropped dramatically since the project began.
Seaside Heights beaches will remain open daily through close of business on Sunday, September 13th, and will also be open the following two weekends – September 19th & 20th and September 26th & 27th. Beach ramp access points and swimming areas will be determined based on our available personnel. Some beach ramps may not be open. Swimming is permitted only when lifeguards are on duty and only in the designated swimming areas. NO CHARGE TO USE THE BEACH AFTER LABOR DAY!
TOMS RIVER-Each Tuesday in downtown Toms River, a high-stakes bidding war takes place, quietly tucked away in room 119 at the Ocean County Administrative Building. It’s where real estate investors congregate and wage bidding wars against each other to buy foreclosed homes being sold by the banks at the lowest possible price.
Undersheriff William T. Sommeling oversees the county’s foreclosure auctions as Captain Vallarta Hill serves as auctioneer, starting each bid off at $100, most climbing to several hundred thousand dollars in minutes as bidders up the ante in $1,000 increments.
“I have three hundred,” Captain Hill said, after one investor bid 300,000 thousand dollars on a foreclosed Southern Ocean County home valued at $740,000.
“301!” shouted another investor.
After looking down at some paperwork consisting of online research, another rebutted, “302!”
Quickly another, responded with, “303!”
The initial bidder, looking annoyed by the newcomer in the bidding war quickly jumped his bid by $5,000.
In the end, the home sold for $312,000 and the next one was announced.
This time a Jackson Township home on 36 Serendipity Lane came up for bid. As always, bidding started at $100.
The bidding was quicker and more fierce on the Jackson home. Homes.com valued that home at $459,000 and it was sold for just $210,000. Then another in Jackson at 210 Crescent Lane, met the same fate, selling for tens of thousands of dollars below the market range in the neighborhood.
Some show up just for the show, but others show up to offer large sums of money these foreclosed homes, sometimes far below comparative market pricing. It’s risky business. Potential buyers cannot pre-inspect the homes and are on the hook for any unpaid local taxes or liens. If the home is presently occupied, those tenants become the problem of the new home owner.
Anything can happen in during a home’s lengthy foreclosure process. Broken water pipes, vandalism, mold and other problems from lack of upkeep are always a possibility in these ventures. Bidders may not inspect the homes prior to bidding.
Immediately after the auction, the winners must pay 20% of the final price on the spot and are required to sign the proper legal indemnification paperwork.
Don’t bring your credit cards, because at the Sheriff’s auctions, they only take cash, certified bank checks, cashier’s checks and treasurer’s checks.
Once the auction is complete, nothing is written in stone. A homeowner has ten days to reclaim their property if they can. In some cases, a homeowner can file for bankruptcy which would also nullify the auction if completed by the 10th day after the sale.
After a home is released to the buyer, the deed is still not guaranteed. The new owners must pay off any liens, back-taxes or other encumbrances attached to the deed. It is often wise to run a title search on the property before bidding.
When the property is finally in the hands of the buyer, it becomes their responsibility to evict the existing homeowner or tenants should they still occupy the home. The eviction process can be lengthy in New Jersey and the new owner will have to pay for damage repairs and to be responsible to pay the local property taxes.
The buyer has 30 days to pay the balance of the purchase. If not, under New Jersey state law, the buyer will forfeit their deposit.
MANCHESTER-Growing up in Ocean County, we fondly called the abandoned ASARCO mineral mining operation, the Sarco Pit. It was where we hung out on weekends to have fun. It was never legal, nor was it ever safe. The crystal blue and clear spring fed lake was too much of a lure on us to stay away. We’d ride just about anything through the woods and then cool off along the sandy beaches of the pit. It was like our own private Caribbean Beach, right here in Ocean County.
We were kids. We were dumb.
In years passed, Manchester started cracking down on the trespassing at the site. Things got very serious this year when a 17 year old girl drowned in the lake this past July.
That tragedy led to Manchester Mayor Kenneth Palmer to get tougher on would-be trespassers.
“In an effort to prevent future tragedies, the Township will be implementing the following strategy, our police department will step up random patrols. We will reexamine our township ordinances to enhance trespass violations with fines up to $1,000; and we will implement a strict ‘no warning’ enforcement policy,” Palmer said. “Our goal is to keep people out of the Heritage Minerals Tract for their own safety.”
In the first week of the new enforcement, multiple trespass citations were issued.
The site consists of 7,000 acres that fronts on Route 70 between Lakehurst and Whiting.
The land was mined so deeply that the bodies of water often referred to as ‘lakes’ are actually groundwater aquifers.
After a few steps in the soft, unstable sand, the “shelf” drops off to 60 feet deep or more.
The mineral water is cold and clear because it is not fed by any stream, but instead by an underground water source.
“The banks are unpredictable and dangerously unstable. In years past, it was a common occurrence for vehicles to get ‘stuck’ in the soft sand on the site,” Palmer added. “There have been serious ATV accidents, drownings, and sunken vehicles pulled from the site. Coupled with those conditions, there is also a 45 acre site containing lowlevel radioactive tailings left from the original mining operations in the 1970s.”
Palmer noted that Hovsons is in the process of bringing in heavy equipment to conduct clean-up operations on that 45-acre site. It is not a place for youngsters or adults to trespass. It can be dangerous.
“Please spread the word: Trespassers will be fined to the full extent allowed by law,” he said.
TOMS RIVER-On Sunday, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of India’s national cricket team and one of the most revered sports figures in India, visited the Siddhivinayak Temple here on Sunday.
While most in Toms River probably do not know Dhoni, he has nearly 16 million followers on Facebook. Compare that to Derek Jeter’s 2 million followers or Tom Brady’s 3 million followers.
Ocean county sheriff’s officers provided security for dhoni’s visit.
Dhoni, in his native India, with a population of 1.25 billion people., he is a national sports hero.
In 2014, Forbes Magazine ranked Dhoni as the 23rd highest paid athlete in the world, making a U.S. equivalent of $31 million per year. Time Magazine ranked Dhoni in their 2011 “100 most influential people in the world” list.
What brought Dhoni to Toms River?
He was on hand to perform Puja at the new Siddhivinayak Temple being built here.
Dhoni said when he visits the United States, he tries to keep a low profile since those trips are usually family affairs, but this weekend, he broke that tradition and made a public appearance.
Approximately 100-200 fans, including young children through the elderly showed up for the two-hour event which included prayers and cultural dances.
Ms dhoni gives speech to fans in toms river.
All were eager and excited to meet their sports hero, chanting, “Dhoni! Dhoni! Dhoni!” as he prepared to take the stage, mobbed by news crews from India. In short speech, Dhoni spoke about his start in the sport in his hometown of Ranchi, the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand, and of his experiences in the United States.
“I feel it’s an honor for me to be here today,” Dhoni said at the Siddhivinayak Temple. “I have been to different places. Most of them have been cricket-playing nations like England and Australia. This was a one of a kind in the US and it was an eye-opener, the way you all have embraced the culture of the U.S., but stuck to the Indian culture and something that’s appreciated.”
Speaking to the Toms River residents who have made the town their new home after leaving India, Dhoni admired their ability to retain their cultural heritage.
“A lot of you have left in the early 60’s, late seventies and even later, but still be 200% Indian, and still acknowledge and respect the traditions of the country that you are in and I feel it’s something everyone needs to know,” he told the audience. “And at the same time, the way you have taught the coming generation who they need to adapt to the various aspects of life.”
Dhoni acknowledged that cricket is not a popular sport in the United States, but said he often has to explain to Americans what it is he does when they learn he plays the sport.
He took the opportunity to point out a flaw with baseball terminology.
“It’s very similar to baseball where you have a pitcher…who doesn’t actually pitch the ball,” he said. “In cricket, when the bowler bowls, he pitches the ball.”
“In baseball you have four bases and run diagonally to them,” he added. “In cricket, we have two and you run between them. It’s a fast-paced sport.”
Despite a relatively low turn out, to which he joked about communication in a world where everyone has mobile phones to share news, he said he enjoyed his day in Toms River.
“It’s real pleasure,” he added. “If I can bring a smile on to your faces, then that’s something.”
TOMS RIVER-A proposed water rate hike by United Water, serving Berkeley and Toms River Townships was cut in half after local officials lobbied the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) against the increase. The BPU asked for an increase of 17%, but were approved for just 8.4% after officials memorialized local public outcry in the form of resolutions of protest by the two township councils.
The increase will impact the average customer’s bill by $3.52 per month, down from the proposed $7.57 per month.
Both Toms River and Berkeley Township municipal councils drafted and approved resolutions in opposition to the rate hike, the fourth since 2008.
“The Board’s approval is an equitable settlement,” said Jim Mastrokalos, United Water’s Director of Operations. “We acknowledge the BPU staff, rate counsel, and our internal and external teams
for their diligent work and combined efforts in aligning our customers’ interests and needs along with the necessity to recover $22 million the company invested in critical system improvements.”
Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato also applauded the BPU’s decision, but said United Water’s increase is unfair to the utility’s customers.
“I’m pleased the BPU listened to our struggling ratepayers by cutting the proposed 18% increase to just about half,” Amato said. “However, we strongly feel a 9% increase is still to high. Towns, school districts and county governments must live with in a 2% cap. Utility companies should be held to the same standards.”
“They got half of what they asked for, so I thought that was a victory,” said Toms River Councilman George Wittman said. “Instead of paying $7 per month extra, it went down to $3.50 per average bill.”
The company serves approximately 125,000 customers in Toms River and Berkeley.
Amato said the BPU is long overdue for local representation as no citizen of the county sits on the public utilities oversight board.
“This approval will be United Water’s fourth rate increase since 2009. This is unacceptable,” Amato added. “I respectfully request the governor considers appointing someone from Ocean County to the BPU when there is an opening. Ocean County needs a voice on the BPU so we can be represented during these rate cases.”
“We had a little bit of an impact on it. It wasn’t a lot of money, but we reduced the overall increase by half,” Wittman added.
Photo shows where local officials placed their green stickers of approval. Each was given three.
by Phil Stilton,
Toms River Magazine
TOMS RIVER-A meeting was held recently between state and local officials about future improvements to the Route 9 corridor through Toms River and Ocean County. Route 9 is a heavily trafficked multi-lane state highway through most points north of Toms River, but in the south of Lakewood, it becomes a heavily congested single lane thoroughfare. Driving south through Lakewood Township, traffic is often at a stand-still. During peak hours, it doesn’t get better as it winds through Toms River.
In recent traffic studies, state officials determined the Route 571 (Indian Head Road) intersection of Route 9 was the busiest in town, with 26,100 average vehicles per day on weekdays and 27,400 on Saturdays. During the morning and evening rush hours, nearly 2,000 vehicles per hour navigate the road through Toms River. 6-7% of that traffic includes commercial trucks and buses.
The New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) identified the Route 571 intersection, along with Cox Cro Road, Church Road and Route 70 as two major traffic bottleneck and accident prone areas.
Toms River Councilman Maurice Hill was not happy with the options presented by the NJTPA meeting, which did not include a much-needed widening of Route 9.
“It managed to exceed even my low expectations,” Hill said of the presentation.
At the meeting, officials were given green stickers and placed them on a chart of available options in an informal vote on future projects.
Options included new sidewalks, bike paths, wider shoulders, character development and tree plantings. Widening the road was not an available option.
After learning that Route 66 in Neptune Township was recently approved for widening, a disappointed Hill said, “Nothing about enlarging the road. Nothing for Ocean County. Once again, we’re last on the list.”
Of the options presented to the local officials, those in attendance favored pedestrian safety and the construction of sidewalks.
Other desirable items by officials were wider shoulders and improved bus stops.
Diagram shows a proposed bike lane option on route 9.
The most dangerous intersections to navigate by vehicle in Toms River were Indian Head Road and Cox Cro Road, dominated by rear end and left turn crashes, while the Clover Road intersection had the most pedestrian involved crashes, due in part to residents crossing the road to access the Tri-City Plaza.
The objective of the August 18th meeting held at the Ocean County Library was to identify immediate low-cost, high impact short-term projects.
A new traffic signal on Hickory Street was also proposed as well as improvements to the Indian Head Road intersection.
Other items identified in the study were significant delays southbound towards Route 9 due to the lack of a left turn lane and delays at Whitty Road and the Tri-Town plaza traffic light.
In Ocean County, Route 9 has nearly three times as many motor vehicle crashes each year over the statewide average on other parts of the road.
This is a working story, check back later for more information and opinions from state and local officials.
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LONG BEACH ISLAND-Sand dollars have been reported washed ashore along Long Beach Island and Clean Ocean Action would like to educate beachgoers on the difference between live sand dollars and their skeletons.
“Rumor has it, sand dollars have been washing ashore in LBI! When you’re walking on the beach, you may be lucky enough to find a sand dollar. What you’ll usually find is something called a test, which is the skeleton of a dead sand dollar. When they are alive, sand dollars look much different – like the one below,” Clean Ocean Action wrote on their Facebook Page. “They are covered with short, velvety spines that may be purple, reddish brown, yellowish, gray, green or black in color. Sand dollars are animals and they deserve to be protected. If you do find a live sand dollar please return it to the ocean.”
The top photo is a live sand dollar. The photo below is a test (skeleton) which are commonly found on New Jersey’s beaches.
Seaside Heights-The New Jersey State Police, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, Seaside Heights borough officials and other dignitaries gathered today at Breakwater Beach here to honor 48 …
TOMS RIVER-Ocean County officials are praising the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s plan to require permits to any entity discharging more than 2,000 gallons of …
JACKSON-Six Flags Great Adventure began demolishing the Fort Independence arena, the former home of the theme park’s Dolphin Discovery program, last week to make way for a new attraction at the park.
