HOWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ – The Howell Township Police Department expressed gratitude to the residents of Pine View Estates at Howell for their participation and warm welcome at a recent fraud presentation.
The presentation alerted seniors to the different types of fraud schemes occurring recently and how to prevent being the next victim of fraud.
The event, which took place earlier today, featured presentations by Detective Ortenzi and Detective Robertiello. Additionally, Traffic Officers Bush and Silvani were on hand to address all traffic-related inquiries. The police department used their Facebook page to extend thanks to all attendees and officers involved in the event.
- Homeowner tackles juvenile suspect after front door kicked in at New Jersey residence
Photo 35945460 © Alexandru Cuznetov | Dreamstime.comPolice say a Howell Township resident chased down a 12-year-old boy after catching him fleeing from a damaged front door
HOWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A Howell Township homeowner tackled and detained a juvenile suspect after discovering his front door had allegedly been kicked in during a daytime attempted break-in, according to police.
The incident happened around 3:28 p.m. May 25 in the area of Princeton Drive.
Howell Township police said officers responded after a resident reported a male suspect attempting to break into a home.
When officers arrived, police said they found the caller holding a 12-year-old juvenile male on the ground.
Investigators said the homeowner told police he was inside his residence when he heard loud banging at the front door. After walking toward the entrance, the resident discovered the front door frame had been damaged.
The victim then looked outside and allegedly saw the juvenile running toward the side of the driveway and attempting to flee.
Police said the homeowner followed the suspect in his vehicle before stopping him a short distance away and physically detaining him until officers arrived.
Authorities said the homeowner provided officers with ring camera footage that allegedly showed the juvenile approaching the front door before delivering a backwards kick that forced the door open and caused damage.
Police later confirmed the front door sustained significant damage.
The juvenile was arrested and charged with criminal mischief. He was later released to his father at police headquarters.
Later that evening, officers responded after the juvenile’s mother alleged the homeowner pointed a firearm at her son during the incident.
Police said investigators interviewed witnesses and reviewed surveillance footage but found no evidence that a firearm was displayed or pointed at the juvenile.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Patrolman Lavarin at 732-938-4575 extension 2722.
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Key Points
- Homeowner detained 12-year-old suspect after alleged break-in attempt in Howell Township
- Police said ring camera footage showed front door being kicked open
- Investigators found no evidence supporting later firearm allegation
- Two NJ lottery players split $621K jackpot as winning streak sweeps across the Garden State
moneyPowerball prizes scratch offs and six figure jackpots lit up stores from Monmouth County to Cape May
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Lottery players cashed in on a wave of winning tickets last week, including two lucky players who split a massive Jersey Cash 5 jackpot worth more than $621K.
Lottery officials announced that from May 18 through May 25, 15 winning tickets worth at least $10K were sold across the state.
The biggest prizes came from the May 22 Jersey Cash 5 drawing, where two tickets matched all five numbers to split a $621,602 jackpot.
One winning ticket worth $310,801 was sold at The Wine Rack on Allen Road in Basking Ridge, while the second jackpot-winning ticket was sold at Ted’s Market on Kennedy Boulevard in Manville.
Two Powerball tickets worth $50K each were also sold during the week.
One winning ticket was purchased through Jackpocket, the lottery courier service, for the May 23 drawing. Another $50K Powerball winner was sold May 25 at Pick It Plus in Barnegat.
Several scratch-off tickets also delivered major payouts throughout New Jersey.
Winning $10K scratch-off prizes were sold at Morris Wine & Liquor in Morris Plains, Quick Foods in North Bergen, Quick Chek in Piscataway, BJ’s Wholesale Club in Maple Shade, and ACME in North Wildwood.
Mega Millions players also hit winning tickets worth $20K in Laurel Springs and Monroe Township.
Additional prizes included multiple Crossword Bonanza wins worth $25K in Matawan and Kearny, along with a Win For Life ticket worth $10K sold in Manahawkin.
Lottery officials said all prizes are subject to validation and claim procedures.
The New Jersey Lottery continues to award millions of dollars in prizes each week through draw games and scratch-offs sold across the state.
Key Points
- Two Jersey Cash 5 tickets split a jackpot worth more than $621K
- Multiple $50K Powerball winners were sold across New Jersey last week
- Fifteen lottery prizes worth at least $10K were claimed statewide
- Why Greenhead Flies Suddenly Swarm Jersey Shore Beaches Every Summer
The painful biting insects can turn a perfect beach day into chaos within minutes
Every summer at the Jersey Shore, it happens almost like clockwork.
The beach is packed. The weather is perfect. Then suddenly, people start swatting the air, covering their legs with towels, and sprinting back toward the parking lot.
Greenhead flies have arrived.
For longtime Shore residents, greenheads are simply part of summer life near the marshes and back bays. But for tourists experiencing them for the first time, the aggressive biting flies can feel almost unbelievable.
What surprises many visitors most is how quickly the insects can take over a beach. In some cases, conditions can shift from calm to miserable in less than half an hour.
And according to locals, the wind usually has everything to do with it.
Why Greenheads Suddenly Appear on Beaches
Greenhead flies spend much of their life around salt marshes located behind the Jersey Shore’s barrier islands.
When winds begin blowing from the west, the flies are pushed out of the marshes, across bays, and directly onto beach areas where people are sitting, walking, and swimming.
That’s why many experienced Shore residents pay attention to wind direction before deciding where to spend the day.
A strong ocean breeze coming from the east can help keep greenheads away from oceanfront beaches. But west wind days are often a different story entirely.
Locals in places like Long Beach Island, Seaside Heights, Tuckerton, and Island Beach State Park know those conditions can bring swarms fast.
Greenhead Season Peaks During the Best Beach Weather
Unfortunately for beachgoers, greenheads thrive during the exact weather conditions people wait all year for.
The flies usually emerge in late June and remain active through early September, with the worst activity typically arriving between mid-July and early August.
Hot, humid afternoons are when they become most aggressive, especially between late morning and mid-afternoon.
That timing makes the outbreaks feel even worse because they often hit during the busiest beach hours of the day.
Why Their Bites Hurt So Much
Greenheads are not mosquitoes, and their bites feel very different.
Instead of piercing the skin quietly, greenhead flies use scissor-like mouthparts that slice into the skin while feeding. Many people describe the sensation as sharp and immediate, almost like being cut.
The flies also tend to attack aggressively once they lock onto a target.
They circle repeatedly, chase movement, and continue biting even after being swatted away.
Only female greenheads bite because they require blood to produce eggs. They’re attracted to body heat, movement, and darker colors, which is why some beachgoers seem to get targeted more than others.
Entomologists consider greenheads among the most painful biting flies in the United States.
Where Greenheads Are Usually Worst at the Jersey Shore
Not every beach experiences greenheads equally.
Areas closest to marshes and back bays tend to see the heaviest activity, especially during west wind conditions.
Island Beach State Park is one of the most well-known hotspots. Back bay sections of Long Beach Island, Seaside Heights, and the Great Bay region near Tuckerton also regularly experience outbreaks.
Ocean-facing beaches with steady sea breezes are generally less affected, though conditions can change quickly if the wind shifts.
That unpredictability is one reason greenheads frustrate beachgoers so much. A beach day can seem perfectly fine until the insects suddenly arrive all at once.
What Actually Helps Against Greenheads
When greenheads are especially bad, there is no perfect solution. But some strategies do help.
Many locals choose beaches with stronger ocean winds because greenheads struggle in breezy conditions. Wearing light-colored clothing may also reduce attraction since the flies tend to target darker colors.
Repellents containing DEET usually work best, while picaridin products can provide moderate protection. Some longtime Shore residents still swear by Avon Skin So Soft, though results vary from person to person.
What usually doesn’t help much are citronella candles, bug zappers, or many natural sprays once swarms become active.
And if greenheads become severe enough, experienced locals know there’s often only one realistic option left.
Leave.
When It’s Time to Pack Up and Go
There’s a moment during bad greenhead days when the beach suddenly starts emptying out.
People stop relaxing and start fighting bugs nonstop. Swarms gather around ankles and legs. Multiple bites happen within minutes.
At that point, even locals who are used to greenheads often call it quits.
It may sound dramatic to first-time visitors, but at the Jersey Shore, entire beach crowds have been driven away by greenhead outbreaks during peak summer weekends.
For many Shore residents, it’s simply part of life near the marsh.
- Atlantic Ocean Turns Caribbean Blue Off New York to Maryland as Massive Spring Bloom Spreads
New York, NY — Satellite images captured by NASA are showing an unusual stretch of bright blue and blue-green water spreading along the Atlantic coast from New York to Maryland, with scientists linking the dramatic color shift to massive spring phytoplankton blooms developing offshore.
The vivid waters began appearing in early April near the Mid-Atlantic Bight, a heavily studied coastal zone where the Atlantic Ocean mixes with outflows from Raritan Bay, Delaware Bay, and Chesapeake Bay. Researchers say the striking colors likely stem from a combination of microscopic marine organisms, river runoff, suspended sediment, and nutrient-rich ocean conditions triggered by seasonal changes.
NASA scientists say newer satellite technology is now allowing researchers to detect and identify these blooms in far greater detail than before.
NASA Satellites Capture Rare Coastal Color Shift
The changing ocean colors were detected by multiple NASA satellites, including PACE, Aqua, and Terra, according to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Scientists monitoring the images observed large patches of green, turquoise, and chalky blue water lingering along shallow coastal zones off New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
Researchers say the Mid-Atlantic Bight has historically been difficult to analyze from space because coastal waters contain a constantly changing mix of sediment, dissolved organic material, seagrass, algae, and phytoplankton.
Photo: howell township police department receives warm reception at fraud presentation “That optical complexity has made it harder for scientists to distinguish and categorize phytoplankton blooms in shallow coastal zones,” NASA explained.
The recently launched PACE mission — short for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem — is changing that. The satellite, launched in 2024, measures more wavelengths of light than previous ocean-monitoring missions, giving researchers a sharper view of biological activity near coastlines.
NASA research scientist Anna Windle said satellite data strongly suggests active phytoplankton blooms are driving much of the visible color offshore.
“There are likely phytoplankton blooms happening,” Windle said. “Diatoms typically dominate blooms early in the spring, but we are seeing some signs of coccolithophores mixed in as well.”
Key Points
• NASA satellites detected bright blue-green ocean water from New York to Maryland beginning in April
• Scientists say large phytoplankton blooms likely caused much of the dramatic color change
• New PACE satellite technology helped researchers identify blooms in complex coastal waters
Why the Atlantic Is Turning Blue and Green
Scientists say spring conditions create an ideal environment for explosive phytoplankton growth.
During winter, colder temperatures and strong winds mix ocean waters vertically, bringing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus toward the surface. As daylight increases in spring, phytoplankton absorb sunlight and rapidly multiply.
One of the dominant organisms currently appearing offshore is believed to be diatoms, a common class of phytoplankton known for fueling large spring blooms. Diatom-heavy blooms often appear green in satellite imagery because of their chlorophyll content.
Researchers also identified signs of coccolithophores, another microscopic marine organism that can turn ocean water a bright turquoise or milky blue.
Unlike diatoms, coccolithophores surround themselves with reflective calcium carbonate plates called coccoliths. When massive blooms develop, billions of those tiny calcite structures scatter sunlight and create the Caribbean-like blue appearance visible from space.
“These highly reflective scales are only a few thousandths of a millimeter thick,” NASA noted, “but coccolithophores are found in such massive numbers during blooms that their plates play a key role in global biogeochemical cycles.”
Scientists estimate coccolithophores account for roughly half of modern calcium carbonate precipitation in the ocean.
A Seasonal Bloom With Global Importance
While the colorful waters may appear unusual to beachgoers and satellite viewers, phytoplankton blooms are a critical part of the marine ecosystem.
Phytoplankton function much like grasses and forests on land, serving as primary producers that support ocean food chains while recycling carbon through photosynthesis.
Diatoms, algae, coccolithophores, and other phytoplankton absorb sunlight and nutrients to generate energy, providing food for marine life ranging from tiny zooplankton to large fish species.
The Mid-Atlantic blooms also reflect broader seasonal shifts happening beneath the ocean surface.
Rutgers University oceanographer Oscar Schofield said nutrient-rich conditions currently favor rapid growth, though the bloom may not last much longer.
“But over time, as big spring phytoplankton blooms grow, they deplete the nutrients,” Schofield said. “Unless big river outflows or storms replenish the nutrients, we’ll likely see this bloom start to decline in the coming weeks.”
New Technology Gives Scientists a Clearer Picture
The bloom is also serving as an early demonstration of the capabilities of NASA’s PACE satellite mission.
Previous generations of satellites struggled to separate phytoplankton activity from muddy coastal water conditions, especially in regions heavily influenced by rivers and shallow seabeds. PACE’s expanded light-detection capabilities now allow scientists to map chlorophyll concentrations and distinguish between different bloom types more accurately.
Researchers say the improved data could eventually help scientists better monitor fisheries, harmful algal blooms, carbon cycling, and changing ocean ecosystems tied to climate variability.
For now, scientists continue monitoring the evolving bloom as warmer temperatures and shifting nutrient levels reshape waters along the East Coast.
- Wall Township DWI Arrests, Drug Charges and Prostitution Sting Mark Busy Week for Police
Wall Township PoliceWALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Hit-and-run crashes, drug arrests and prostitution-related charges drove a busy week for Wall Township police, with officers making more than a dozen arrests tied to warrants, narcotics, drunken driving and resisting arrest investigations between May 18 and May 24.
Among the most serious incidents, investigators charged a Manchester man with drunken driving after police said he fled a crash scene on Eighteenth Avenue Tuesday evening. Officers also arrested a Toms River man on marijuana distribution and psychedelic mushroom charges during a State Highway 18 traffic stop Friday.
Several arrests unfolded at motels along State Highway 35 and State Highway 33/34, locations that repeatedly appeared in the department’s weekly blotter released Sunday by the Wall Township Police Department.
Hit-and-Run DWI Arrest Highlights Week
Patrolman Vincent Colucci arrested 28-year-old Justus Richardson of Manchester following a hit-and-run crash reported at 6:25 p.m. Tuesday on Eighteenth Avenue, according to Wall Township police.
Investigators said Richardson struck another vehicle and left the scene before officers quickly located him on Central Avenue. During the investigation, police charged Richardson with driving while intoxicated and discovered he also had traffic warrants from Point Pleasant and Neptune.
Richardson posted bail and was released under the requirements of John’s Law, which restricts intoxicated drivers from operating vehicles after release.
Another DWI arrest came Wednesday night when Patrolman Joshua Wheeler responded to a motor vehicle crash investigation on State Highway 70 around 8:01 p.m.
Police charged 51-year-old Regulo Serrano-Garay of Point Pleasant with driving while intoxicated following the crash investigation. He was processed and released under John’s Law.
Key Points
• Wall Township police made multiple DWI, drug and warrant arrests between May 18 and May 24
• A Manchester man allegedly fled a crash before officers located him on Central Avenue
• Drug and prostitution-related investigations led to arrests at local highways and motels
Drug and Warrant Arrests Stretch Across Township
Drug-related charges surfaced Friday when Patrolman Daniel Grothues stopped a vehicle on State Highway 18 and arrested 47-year-old Jarrone Perry of Toms River.
According to Wall Township police, Perry faces charges including marijuana distribution, possession of psilocybin mushrooms and possession of drug paraphernalia. Officers transported him to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution after processing.
Police also arrested 44-year-old Kelly Kozub of Wall on Sunday during an investigation at the Express Inn on State Highway 33/34.
Patrolman Collin McCarthy charged Kozub with loitering for the purpose of prostitution, obstruction, possession of crack cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police processed Kozub and released her on a summons.
Motels along State Highway 35 also became focal points for warrant investigations during the week.
Detective Devin Corso arrested 40-year-old William Segars of Wall Monday at the Budget Inn on multiple Wall Township warrants. Segars posted bail and was released.
Later in the week, Patrolman Collin McCarthy arrested 52-year-old Bita Sharifi-Azad of Asbury Park at the same motel on a Neptune criminal warrant. Neptune authorities released her on her own recognizance.
Resisting Arrest and Assault Charges Filed
Several suspects also faced obstruction and resisting arrest allegations during separate investigations and traffic stops.
Patrolman Clint Forgach arrested 28-year-old Kevin McEnough of Neptune Wednesday at the Wall Township Municipal Complex on obstruction and resisting arrest charges. Officers transported McEnough to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution.
On Thursday, Patrolman Joseph Liddy arrested 24-year-old Carlos Benton of Union during a motor vehicle stop on State Highway 34. Benton faces obstruction and resisting arrest charges and was also taken to the county jail.
That same day, Patrolman Johan Moreno arrested two people during a traffic stop on State Highway 35.
Police charged 26-year-old Calvialy Romulus of Neptune with hindering and on a New Jersey Wanted Person Warrant. Officers transported Romulus to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution.
Police also charged 26-year-old Zyiesha Mason of Asbury Park with providing false information. She received a summons and was released.
Elsewhere, Patrolman Collin McCarthy arrested 33-year-old Nico Rodriguez of Belmar Thursday on a New Jersey Wanted Person Warrant following an investigation on Sixteenth Avenue.