September 13th - 26th , 2013 // VOL. 1 // ISSUE 10
TOMS RIVER AREA • JACKSON • BRICK
• COASTAL BAR RIER ISLAND
LAKEWOOD, NJ PERMIT NO. 181
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Read the Ocean Signal online: www.oceancountysignal.com
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
OCEAN COUNTY Friends of Island Beach State Park Host 15th Annual Beach Plum Festival
Christie Administration Embarks on “Two Bit” Dune Project
by Phil Stilton ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK-Fisherman here need not wonder why Two Bit Road has been closed in recent days. Governor Chris Christie’s administration stated the closure is related to a new dune replenishment project taking place along the park’s northern most beach access road. The section of the park was washed over during Hurricane Sandy, leaving two large gaps in the park’s dune system. “The repair and re-fortification of the dune system from Two Bit Road to the northern property boundary of Island Beach State Park – a span of approximately 1,000 feet – is projected to be completed by early fall and will be funded by the DEP. The estimated cost is $50,000,” the DEP
Photo of the northern end of Island Beach State Park just days after Hurricane Sandy showing the northern end of state park to be replenished under newly awarded contract. Photo by Phil Stilton. said in an announcement. “This project will insure better protection for the park’s natural resources, as well as some of our infrastructure that was damaged by the storm and has since been repaired,” said State Park Service Director Mark Texel. Equipment, which will be operated by DEP’s Park Service employees, has been mobilized near the Two Bit Road area, and on-site sand already has been moved for use in this project. Off-site sand deliveries by truck are expected to begin this week. Two Bit Road is expected to have frequent closures during the project. Closures will be posted on the State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites Facebook page. The
release added that “Island Beach State Park, a narrow barrier island stretching for 10 miles between the ocean and Barnegat Bay, enjoyed a successful summer season after reaching the Christie Administration’s goal of having the park fully operational before July 4. A full slate of interpretive programs returned this summer, with the addition of the park’s first full-time naturalist in 10 years.” Island Beach State Park is home to one of the shore’s most vibrant fishing communities and the Two Bit Access road has been an important area for many decades to the local fishing community, especially during the fall fishing season.
Firefighters Battle Another Blaze at Lakewood Tent City
“The Simpsons” Writer Coming to Toms River Library Sept. 23 by Erik Weber TOMS RIVER-Fans and followers of America’s first animated dysfunctional family, the Simpsons, will have a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes of the show from its first episode in 1989 to today with Mike Reiss, a prime creative force behind the show and winner of four Emmys and a Peabody award, among many others. Appearing in Mancini Hall of the Toms River Library on Monday, September 23rd at 7 pm, Mr. Reiss’s presentation will include Matt Reiss, former writer and producer of The Simpsons. video clips from The SimpAbove picture copyright 20th Century Fox. sons and The Critic, a show he co-created and wrote is free but first come, first when both were editors for ABC Television in the serve with a limit of 200 with National Lampoon magazine, and is sponsored 1990s, which has since be- seats. The writer and producer by the Island Heights Demcome a cult video favorite. He will talk about how The appears on invitation of Is- ocrats. Both men have remained Simpsons was almost can- land Heights councilman celed before it debuted and and 10th Legislative Dis- friends for 30 years. Afdealing with Fox Network trict senate candidate John ter National Lampoon, Mr. censors as well as many ce- Bendel, who worked with Reiss and his then-writing lebrity guest stars. Entrance Mr. Reiss in the early 1980s partner Al Jean left for Hol-
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LAKEWOOD-Another fire broke out at Lakewood’s “Tent City” homeless encampment on Cedar Bridge Avenue on September 4th. The fire broke out around midnight and tent in the camp was fully engulfed. The fire then spread from the tent to nearby trees and propane tanks were heard exploding. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and remains under investigation by the Ocean County Fire Marshall’s Division of the Sheriff’s Department. Photo by the Lakewood Scoop.
lywood to write for television, including such shows as Not Necessarily the News, Nine to Five, Alf, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. They wrote the first Simpsons episode in 1989. Jean is now the show’s executive producer. Reiss is a consulting producer.
Mr. Bendel became a journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and many other newspapers, including virtually every paper in New Jersey. Bendel was editorial page editor of the Herald News, and in the 1990s wrote and produced a satirical web site called New Jersey Uber Alles, which was covered and quoted by the state’s media. Today, he and his wife Peggy operate a marketing communications company, Bendel & Bendel, Inc. They live in Island Heights, where Bendel serves on the council and the planning board. He has been involved in borough governance for more than a decade and in 2005 co-founded the Island Heights Democrats, the
first Democratic club in the predominantly Republican borough. Reiss has won four Emmys and a Peabody for his work on The Simpsons. He wrote the 2009 movie My Life in Ruins and has written for movies like Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Horton Hears a Who! and, of course, The Simpsons Movie. He has written a number of children’s books and his new play, “Rubble,” is playing at the Fringe Festival in New York. Reiss and his wife Denise live in Manhattan but are no strangers to Toms River, where they have attended the Wooden Boat Festival and basked on the sands of Ortley Beach.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
ISLAND HEIGHTS Island Heights Vol. Fire Co. 103rd Annual Labor Day Games
by Erik Weber ISLAND HEIGHTS - The borough fire company held their 103rd consecutive annual Labor Day games at the recreation fields across from the fire hall on Maple Avenue last week on a day of eventual inclement weather that altered activities for the first time in memory. Events included kids’ bike races, potato runs, threelegged sack races, the women’s race (modified to allow all adults), the traditional
peanut scramble that saw showers of the snack food raining down on gleeful participants along with the light drizzle that developed overhead. As a result of the weather, the children’s treasure hunt was moved into the bays of the fire apparatus where parents cheered on their toddlers who grabbed for change dropped by firemen for their savings banks at home. Pie-eating contests capped the day as kids, teens and adults scarfed down plates of blueberry pie slices on folding tables set up outside on the firehouse driveway to the delight of all.
Friends of the Library 2013 Annual Book Sale ISLAND HEIGHTS - The Friends of the Island Heights Library has announced its annual book sale, to take place on next month with donations now being accepted. This sale is the organization’s one major fundraiser, with proceeds used to supplement the programming costs for children and adults through the following year at the library. Book donations in both hardback and paperback will be accepted at Island Heights Borough Hall at the Wanamaker Complex on East End and Van Sant avenues during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 3 pm only. Books may also be left on the porch at 266 Summit Avenue, weather permitting. Please do not drop off books at the Island Heights Library as
they do not have the room to collect them. Please do not donate textbooks, encyclopedias or similar scholastic books. All books should be in good condition. Rule of thumb is to donate books that you would buy yourself. We really don’t have the volunteer time to recycle books in poor condition. Book Sale Hours: • Thursday September 19 (17pm) • Friday September 20 (17pm) • Saturday September 21 (10am-4pm) • Sunday September 22 (Noon-3pm) For Further Information: Call the Island heights Library at 732-270-6266 or check out our “Friends of the Island Heights Library” Facebook page.
Island Heights, Summer 1933 A review of the news, events and culture of summer eighty years ago compiled from materials available in the Wheeler Room of the Toms River Library. Charles Evans, while putting his brand new Chevrolet into his garage, stepped on the gas instead of the brake and crashed through the back wall... guests regularly stayed at the Peto cottage and were announced in the pages of the New Jersey Courier... Mr. and Mrs. Newton closed their home, “Croyden,” for the season and sailed aboard the Lafayette to Europe for the summer while their daughters - Audrey, Babette, Josephine and Carol - left the first week of July for camp in Vermont... Mr. and Mrs. Cade Lafleur opened a candy and tobacco shop on Central Avenue... Philadelphia Mayor and Mrs. J. Hampton Moore spent numerous weekends at their West End Avenue home through the summer... Miss Rose Arway, one of the grade school teachers
here and resident of Toms River, married Edwin Smith, Jr. of Beachwood... Elwood Weidman and his orchestra from Burlington County were hired to provide music for the summer at the Island Heights Yacht Club... the beauty parlor in the Riverview Hotel at Central and River avenues was reported to be a very well-patronized business... rumors traveled through town that a Philadelphia company planned to open Siddons Hall in early July with “talkies” and movies, as the machines were installed and “talking apparatus” expected to follow... Mayor A.B. Smith, who was opposed to restrictions on beachfronts, issued a general invitation welcoming shore residents to go to Island Heights for their beach and swimming pleasure. The mayor added that he felt the state should regulate the beaches and cover the costs of operating them and that the exclusion of all but residents from a beach or charging fees was unconstitutional. “Restricted bathing is
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un-American and leads to class distinction,” he said. “It should be discouraged. The water is there for everyone’s use and not just for those who are fortunate enough to be able to summer in a seashore resort.” He added that he was opposed to those in the borough who wanted to restrict the bathing beach access... in response to late night crabbing parties that had become a problem along the riverfront, the borough council acted quickly pass an ordinance forbidding crabbing between the hours of 9 pm and 7 am... the first male battalion of the John Wanamaker Commercial Institute cadets arrived at camp in four buses of the Pennsylvania Railroad line in mid-July and were taken directly to the campgrounds at the bayfront, where they stayed until July 28th and a second battalion of boys arrived. Two weeks after that, the girl cadets arrived for their time in the sun at the Wanamaker Camp...
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
SEASIDE PARK Council Briefs by Erik Weber The following are news and actions of the Seaside Park mayor and council from their August 8th and 22nd meetings.
Central Regional Tax Levy
The Central Regional School District tax levy and its associated ongoing lawsuits were discussed at length during both council meetings, with Council President Michael Tierney at the August 8th meeting stating that he realized that if the 10 or 12 students in the borough currently attending the Toms River School District were to be forced to attend the Central Regional School District as an outcome of litigation, it could cost borough taxpayers up to $1 million additional dollars in taxes annually. “This is being driven by the funding formula currently in place which is the property value times the number of students,” he said. “Armed with this information we had Vito [Gagliardi, special counsel for the borough in the ongoing lawsuit] draft a resolution for the local school board that said if Central Regional would not pay the cost of the children going to Toms River for Seaside Park - under an agreed upon hardship situation, which we already had [in a] legal opinion given by the
court - the Seaside Park local school board would pay to send the children [to Toms River.]” “We as a community are running out of options for these students and future students,” the council president continued. “This resolution has to be acted on favorably by our local school board.” He added that in the resolution Mr. Gagliardi would also represent the local school board in any legal matter the action would incur. Councilwoman Gail Coleman stated that she was concerned an increase in off-season rentals could greatly increase the number of students attending the Central Regional School District in the event that borough homeowners chose to open up more of their homes for such leases to make up lost revenue as a result of the continued effects of last October’s Hurricane Sandy. Mr. Tierney stated that if the local board were to agree to fund students to attend Toms River Regional Schools’ drastically lower rate per pupil versus what is levied with the Central Regional School District, it would allow the levy to decrease regardless of an influx of new students. At the August 22nd meeting, following a meeting of the local school board, Mr. Tierney reported that the board members refused to pass the proposed resolution on advice of their legal
Cobra Kite Night At The Ocean
counsel, who felt it was illegal. “They always felt it was illegal - I said it was not illegal,” he said. “I was told it wasn’t illegal and the counselor asked for in writing why we thought it was legal and Vito is going to give me that and I’m going to deliver it.” The council president argued that “anybody passing through a school system to get to a school system geographically has a hardship and they can apply to go to that school and the receiving school that they’re supposed to go to should in turn make a sending-receiving relationship with, in our case, Toms River [Regional Schools].” He urged Seaside Park residents to begin attending meetings of the local school board to fight for the resolution. “We have no authority over the local board - that takes everybody - so at the next meeting I would encourage everybody to show up; support the resolution,” Mr. Tierney said. “I guess one of the things that concerns me if we don’t get this done in addition to what I think could possible be a $6 or $7 million tax in four or five years. Currently it’s $4,350,000 - it took them nine years to get from $2 million to $4 million; I’m sure it won’t take that long to get it higher.” “The reason I wanted to put this on the record was when your taxes go up, you normally end up (Continue on page 7)
Several dozen families and couples enjoyed the last special kite night event promoted by Cobra Kites of Route 37 in Toms River on August 28th at the 7th Avenue beachfront. As evening transitioned to night, the kite shop showed off its wares with a series of brilliant models lit by colorful LED lights. ERIK WEBER / OCEAN SIGNAL
Seaside Park Summer 1933 A review of the news, events and culture of summer eighty years ago compiled from materials available in the Wheeler Room of the Toms River Library. Summer resident and yacht club member John B. Lucke, a graduate student of Columbia and Princeton universities, announced he would publish a thesis following a year of research and field work on the coastal geology of the Barnegat Bay... former mayor and yacht club commodore Francis P. Larkin left to stay in his boyhood home of Cape Cod, Massachusetts for the summer... a food sale was held at Greger’s White Oak Market to benefit the Ladies’ Aid of the Union Church... south of the borough, the state legislature approved a bill to place on referendum a question to incorporate the ninemile tract of land known alternately as Island Beach and the Phipps estate as the Island Beach Borough following a successful campaign by its owners, the Barnegat Bay and Beach Corporation, which counted its employees as most of the residents of the tract. The New Jersey Courier reported that it had urged the state through editorials to purchase the land in the early 1920s for use as a state beach, as it would only have cost approximately $300,000
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at that time, while in 1933 would “probably not sell for less than ten times that.” It continued that since the development firm purchased the land around 1926, roads were constructed along with several houses and “two handsome houses are now being completed, built this spring.” The development company wanted the tract to become an independent borough in order “that taxes they pay can be used to build up the beach. In paying taxes to the three townships on the mainland [Berkeley, Lacey and Ocean], little or none of the township tax came back to the beach to build roads or other improvements.”... a dinner and dance was held at the Hiawatha Hotel on Central and Second avenues on July 1st at a cost of $1 per patron... litigation between the borough and the Cummings brothers, owners of the land east of Ocean Avenue where today stands the amusement center containing game stands, the Sawmill Cafe and Funtown Pier, raged on as the borough attempted to prove that the land was deeded to the public while the brothers contended that the borough knew it was not and had in fact purchased the beachfront land directly south of the amusement area and to the east of Ocean Avenue when it had erected the roadway
and where today are the municipal parking lots and bathhouse... Captain J. Bogan of the boat Paramount reported that he took a party of Seaside Park fishermen - Willard Corn, Fred Gartling and Harry Anthony - out in late June and they landed the impressive haul of 279 blackfish, bass and fluke... Connie Bussard, the two-and-a-half month old infant of Mr. and Mrs. Artie W. Bussard, died on July 5th and was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Toms River... due to a short collection of taxes, the borough economized street work by doing only what was absolutely necessary... the construction of a series of small boat landings was discussed at the early July council meeting, with the idea that residents could use them if they were built approximately one every third block along the bayfront... the most-crowded beaches tended to be at Fourth and Fifth avenues in front of the former Manhasset Hotel site and also at H Street... of the 14 registered voters in the southern tip of the Barnegat Peninsula proposed to become Beach Island Borough, the 13 who voted in the referendum question all voted in favor of it, thus creating the Borough of Island Beach, the 34th municipality and 20th borough in Ocean County...
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013 (Continued from page 6) here, telling us,” he added. “We know and are telling you: come to the meetings and help us. We’ll help you as best we can, please go to the meetings and let’s get this solved correctly.”
Route 35 Reconstruction
The upcoming Route 35 reconstruction had various officials and residents present at the August 22nd meeting concerned with plans that could see the removal of numerous parking spaces in the center median up Central Avenue - the borough name for the roadway - in addition to the possible displacement of nearby homeowners while pumping stations are built as part of the project. “We all see that [the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)] is starting to make changes to the causeway, and right now we’re in the process of trying to coordinate with NJDOT for water [and] sewer project phase two, which will start again in the fall,” reported Nancy Koury, chairwoman of the operations committee, who added a meeting with state officials the following day would hopefully involve “some clarification of how that will work and when they’re putting in the pump stations, which will be the first phase that actually is in Seaside Park.” Ms. Coleman stated that she and other members of the Summer in the Park Business Association - the official business organization in town - were in contact with state officials attached to the sweeping project that would see reconstruction occur to the decades-old roadway and roadbed in three sections, from Mile 0 to Mile 4 - which includes Seaside Park - to Mile 4 to Mile 8, and Mile 8 to Mile 12. “It is my understanding that they’re supposed to dig 25 feet into the street to remove all of the underground water utilities,” she said, noting that she wanted to know how residents near those stations on O Street, 8th Avenue and Island Avenue were “going to get compensated” due to potential hardships while the construction occurs. Judy Appleby, broker and owner of Appleby Realty on the 1200 block of Southeast Central Avenue, approached the governing body with a petition containing approximately 100 signatures asking that they request the NJDOT host an information session in Seaside Park for the benefit of residents and business owners who will be impacted by the project, something that Mayor Robert W. Matthies assured her he was in the process of working on already. The mayor noted that he and Seaside Park Police Chief Francis P. Larkin were also attending meetings with the state regarding the project on a regular basis.
Marina Lawn Carnival Complaints
Several residents from I Street approached the governing body to protest the carnival that was temporarily installed from July 31st to August
4th through the Summer in the Park Business Association, stating that it regularly operated about 30 minutes past the 10 pm shut down time and on its last night, a Sunday night, broke down the large rides through the night while leaving bright lights and music playing. Mayor Matthies, who is also an I Street resident, confirmed that correspondence from several other neighbors who could not attend the meeting was received by the borough and distributed among all governing body members for review. “They were not small rides, they were big, huge rides with a generator running 24 hours a day and people living in mobile homes in the back by the marina,” said Rick Crosta. “I’m so proud of this town but I was embarrassed to interface with my tenants who are paying me really good money to be in this beautiful, quiet, family town.” He added that the rides should be relegated to the boardwalk area only. “I know there were efforts to bring people into this town and I appreciate that and the businesses need to flourish in this town,” Mr. Crosta continued. “As far as comments I’d like to kindly ask that this type of event never happens in our space again.” Mayor Matthies noted that any events held there were put up for approval or denial by the governing body through a vote, and that the carnival had been approved by the same, as had the regular flea markets the Seaside Park Community Education organization sponsors, the farmer’s market and the Neighborhood Watch Appreciation barbeque and picnic held by Local PBA #182 on August 17th and held annually. Mr. Crosta stated he was fine with certain smaller, quieter events of limited time scope as the mayor listed but that he wanted the borough to look at the impact on residents versus value of conducting an event in the future.
Hurricane Sandy FEMA Money Update
Mr. Tierney reported on behalf of the finance committee, for which he is chairman, that two reimbursements as a result of Hurricane Sandy were received by the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], including one in the amount of $495,236.50 to cover 100 percent of the salaries for the first 60 days following the storm and a second in the amount of $1,182,525.13 to cover 90 percent of borough claims with regard to “damages and materials and things we had to purchase to put our town back in order.” “[FEMA representatives] made a comment that I just want to pass on: that their work was made much easier by the excellent work of one of our temps, Erin Barna,” the council president added. “They said it was the most perfect work they’ve ever had,” added Ms. Coleman.
stepped forward to aid other residents and businesses in the borough in the wake of Hurricane Sandy first with a fundraiser and later through a grant awarded by the Robin Hood Foundation, had its recent activity reported by volunteer Bonnie Matthies. According to Mrs. Matthies, the organization had received 211 applications by the date of the August 22nd meeting, including 180 from individuals and 31 from businesses. Of those, 166 were approved, including 135 individuals and 31 businesses, with $123,750 going to individuals and $23,250 going to businesses.
Other actions by the mayor and council included:
• discussing the idea of authorizing specific individuals to act as spokespeople for the borough while allowing individual officials the ability to still speak on their own accord and with their own opinions when asked. • approving Councilman Dave Nicola to use the M Street ocean beach for he and his bride’s wedding ceremony on Friday, September 20th from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. Mayor Matthies congratulated Mr. Nicola on the upcoming occasion and further noted to those present at the August 22nd meeting that he was soon to become the executive director in charge of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, an organization with approximately 350 members. • Mayor Matthies asked borough residents to pause for a moment in remembrance of recently deceased resident Edwin Beyer, 78, who died on August 14th. The mayor noted that Mr. Beyer was active in the Seaside Park Yacht Club and established the flavor and fragrance firm Essential Ingredients USA. • Mayor Matthies reported that September was considered both Hunger Action Month and National Preparedness Month, and urged residents to donate to local food banks where possible and also announced his idea for creating a separate borough website specifically for the office of emergency management and announcements related to any emergent conditions that occur in the borough. • Mayor Matthies noted that upon driving east over the Mathis Bridge in the late afternoon of August 22nd, while returning to the borough following some business in Lakewood, he noticed a “beautiful rainbow” that he felt had its’ “end” somewhere right over borough hall, leading him winkingly “guess that we are all in for a very informative and very rewarding meeting here tonight.”
Children were seen playing atop a surfboard at the 5th Avenue bay beach at the end of last month while adults and more children fished and crabbed off the pier or enjoyed the new playground equipment on the beachfront. ERIK WEBER / OCEAN SIGNAL
Chief Larkin is Mayor’s 2012 Person of the Year by Erik Weber SEASIDE PARK - As Seaside Park Neighborhood Watch members gathered around the Marina Lawn grounds and at picnic tables beneath the large tents during the August 17th PBA #182-sponsored day of appreciation for them, Mayor Robert W. Matthies surprised Chief Francis P. Larkin with a special award following an extra-hard year of duty in the face of possibly the greatest challenge the borough has ever known, Hurricane Sandy. “One of the things that I really enjoy about this job is that I can recognize extraordinary people doing extraordinary things,” he said. “Last year, when I assumed office again, I wanted to continue the designated person of the year. Throughout 2012 and just about at this point last year, I was seeing extraordinary things from an extraordinary person. And we all know what happened on the 29th of October.” “Well, things got sidetracked a little bit along the way, but I saw more extraordinary things by this extraordinary person,” he added before reading from an official proclamation by the governing body. “Proclaiming and recognizing Francis P. “Murph” Larkin IV as the Mayor’s 2012 Person of the year,” he began, as applause arose from the tents and areas around the stage he shared with the chief, who appeared surprised. Mayor Matthies then ran down a list of facts and commendations about Chief Larkin’s life, including that he was born, raised and educated in Seaside Park; appointed police officer on August 18th, 1988, promoted to sergeant in 1998, lieutenant in 2009, captain in 2011 and chief on December 8th, 2011; that he “quickly established
a community outreach through the programs and offerings of the Neighborhood Watch; the effective use of reverse 9-1-1; the police blotter; and developed a network of citizen assistance to compliment his force’s good policing practices in order to increase safety and security to residents and visitors alike.” The mayor continued that he was nominated to Office of Emergency Management Coordinator on January 1st, 2012, and in preparation for Hurricane Sandy after Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency and ordered everybody to evacuate the coastal areas, “Francis Larkin, without regard for himself, immediately began fulfilling the highest level of responsibility to provide emergency service leadership to the community and throughout the following months demonstrated exemplary determination and genuine concern for property owners, residents and businesses by deeds and actions which assisted the borough’s recovery efforts.” He added that it was “most appropriate to recognize this individual who has exceeded his sworn responsibilities of office and continues to improve the quality
Seaside Park Police Chief Francis P. Larkin IV, seen here at this year’s Memorial Day ceremony. ERIK WEBER / OCEAN SIGNAL of life enjoyed by all citizens of the borough.” Chief Larkin thanked the mayor and confirmed that he was surprised, honored and humbled. “It was a rough year for all of us and it wasn’t just myself, there were so many people behind me, helping out along the way and just too numerous to name,” he said. “I’ll accept this on behalf of everybody in the police department, emergency management and fire company and all the borough employees who helped out getting this town back together.”
Funtown Peers Update
Funtown Peers, the non-profit group of volunteers comprised of borough residents who
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
SOUTH TOMS RIVER Fishing At Mathis Plaza
Fishing has been a popular recreation activity at the edges of Mathis Plaza’s bulkheading ever since it was created out of dredge spoils from the bottom of the Toms River in the late 1920s by Secretary of State Thomas A. Mathis as part of a larger project to build the roadway between downtown Toms River and Beachwood that is today Route 166. Previously the area between Miller Yacht Basin and near Huddy Park was open shoreline with a rail line inland.
Council Briefs by Erik Weber The following are news and actions of the South Toms River mayor and council from their August 19th meeting.
New Clerk Hired
The borough mayor and council hired a new clerk to replace retiring longtime municipal clerk, Elizabeth “Betty” Silvestri, to begin immediately as deputy clerk until September 1st, when their position would advanced to regular municipal clerk. Joseph Kostecki was brought to the role with an affirmative vote by all council members save Councilman Ed Murray, who abstained, and Council President Ernest Reevey, who was absent. At an earlier special council meeting held on August 8th, Mr. Kostecki approached the governing body with information and statements regarding his past employment and experience. Previous to his acceptance at South Toms River, he was for five months employed by Barnegat Township as an administrative assistant and for nine
months prior to that was acting municipal clerk with East Windsor Township in Mercer County. Mr. Kostecki holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Rutgers University and is currently completing work on a master’s degree in public administration at Penn State University. Speaking on his master’s education, he said the university “teaches you not only educational but practical aspects of the public sector - both non-profits and government.” “I am a public sector professional,” Mr. Kostecki continued, noting that he is the co-founder and president of Shred Out Cancer, a non-profit formed four years ago on behalf of his sister, Holly K. Burke, which “provides monetary resources for children with cancer.” On the role of municipal clerk, he said it was “a person that not only is a receptor of people’s needs but a facilitator of information” between the town and its residents as “the governing body’s actions are no good if the residents don’t know about them.” He felt such a position was similar to an earlier one he held from March 2009 to
May 2010 as an outreach coordinator and staff assistant for Representative John Adler (D-NJ) in the third congressional district where he would regularly meet with citizens in need of help and aid in directing them to the people and groups where they best would receive that help. Mr. Kostecki added that he has been involved with grant writing and would bring such skills to his role as borough clerk and provided an example of one such grant developed in the Sustainable Jersey program that aids towns in the state to convert to save money through environmentally friendly initiatives that convert current outdated modes of energy use to efficient ones.
Council Reports
• Councilman Oscar Cradle stated that the first draft of the 2014 recycling calendar was completed and submitted to the public works department for them to insert the leaf and Christmas tree pickup dates, after which time he and other members of the governing body and residents in town would review and make adjustments prior to final publication and distribution.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013 • Councilman Greg Handshy stated that the borough was moving ahead with the repair of the concrete block building at the recreation fields holding the public bathrooms that this past summer was hit by an unknown vehicle, causing a partial cave-in of one wall and corner. He added that while making rounds around town he noticed some tampering with the electrical supply at the dock located at the end of Crabbe Point and Crabbe Road and alerted Councilmen Ed Murray and Don Williams who assisted in its assessment and repair. Mr. Murray added that while there the three had reviewed progress on the public land previously used by Miller Yacht Basin for the storage of derelict boats and various machinery. • Mr. Murray stated that interviews were ongoing to fill open positions within the public works department. • Mayor Joseph Champagne commended the Optimist Club, Municipal Alliance and Recreation Commission volunteers for their efforts at the mid-August backpack giveaway and bike rodeo as well as other participating volunteers. “I believe it was a great success,” he said, adding that his daughter was the winner of the bike race and Dr. Doug Ripley’s son also took home a prize. “I’m very happy to see the community is coming together,” the mayor continued. “We’re very different in certain ideologies and philosophies but when it comes to our children we don’t have any distinction or difference in our approach.” Hummel Drive resident, former councilman and longtime recreation com-
mission volunteer thanked everyone involved in the day’s events and recorded that the municipal alliance “gave out over 125 backpacks and school supplies and 60 to 65 families attended.” He added it was a great turnout and thanked various area chain stores for donating items. • Councilman Marvin Sykes stated that he and the police committee were working with Chief Andrew Izatt on filling two open positions within the department. • Mr. Williams stated that in his frequent walks around the borough he was noticing “a trend I haven’t seen before - there seems to be a lot of people parking their cars on their lawns, like turning their lawn into a parking lot.” He noted that on a walk down Dover Road, there was one such house on the 400 block that had many cars parked throughout the property, and stated that he could not believe that many people could fit into a single family home. Resident and former code enforcement official Ernest Hemmann spoke up about that property, stating that it was being rented and that if Mr. Williams reached out to the property owner the situation would be corrected. Dover Road resident Janice Palumbo concurred with Mr. Williams’ observation, stating that she had noticed a number of the license plates were from Pennsylvania. “I have one time counted at one time 16 cars and trucks [over] two small houses - they’re even across the road in the woods,” she said.
Other actions of the borough council included:
• approving the April 26th and May 13th regular meet-
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ing minutes but not the executive session minutes as they were not available. • approving on second reading an ordinance which adjusted the language of earlier ordinances from 2001 and 2003 that mistakenly gave the recreation commission powers and control over all borough properties. Solicitor and acting clerk Robert Tarver, Jr. stated that upon reviewing the ordinances he found that it “basically gave the recreation commission the ability to do whatever they wanted with everything owned in the borough,” he said, laughing. • introducing an ordinance that restricts the parking of oversized vehicles on public parking lots except for limited loading and unloading that Mayor Champagne earlier had stated was to stop the parking of tour buses on the Mathis Plaza parking lot when groups would utilize nearby recreation facilities and businesses in Toms River. • restating an earlier approval to allow Beachwood resident and Boy Scout Troop 70 member Jake Holmes to paint reflective white Maltese crosses on the roadways in front of fire hydrants throughout the borough so that the Manitou Park Volunteer Fire Company and other nearby responding fire companies would find hydrants better during emergency calls. The project would be part of an effort for Mr. Holmes to earn his Eagle Scout award, and in a letter addressed to the borough he wrote that he spoke with the chief and fire company officials in Manitou Park and all agreed on the project. • approving a resident to beautify and make cosmetic improvements to basketball courts located in the Center Homes section of the borough after first sub-
mitting a letter addressing what specifically her intentions were and also notifying adjacent property owners. • approving bid specifications for a Community Block Development Grant that would see further improvements to Mathis Plaza sidewalks. • applying for a state department of transportation grant for more road resurfacing projects within the borough. • discussing the future purchase of robo-truck friendly recycling cans to increase and streamline recycling efforts in the borough. • approve the installation of speed humps to several streets, including Brookforest Drive near Colgate Drive, Chamberlain Street between Easy and Long streets, and on Attison Avenue.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
PINE BEACH
Shown here are the young women sailors of the Pine Beach Yacht Club Sunfish sailing program, taken during the annual junior sailing awards late last month. Courtesy Kristi Shirey.
A group of friends enjoyed a late summer sail on the Toms River near the Pine Beach shoreline as seagulls enjoyed their perches atop the abandoned Admiral Farragut Academy docks, which will soon be removed and replaced with a vibrant new waterfront area with a new dock, bulkheading and more. ERIK WEBER / OCEAN SIGNAL
Admiral Farragut Academy’s Administrative Board, 1933-34 This photo, taken from the 1934 academy yearbook, shows the first administrative staff of the school, including many of the men responsible for its establishment and promotion, including: Rear Admiral Samuel S. Robison, U.S.N. (Ret.), Superin-
tendent (in the front row, center); Lt. Cmdr. Fred C. Patten, AFA Dean and Registrar; Lt. (jg) Jackson Lahn, Commandant of Cadets; Capt. Earle R. Clossen, Infantry-Res., U.S. A., Headmaster; Capt. Ralph W. Plummer (M.C.) U.S.N. (Ret.), Medical Of-
ficer; Lt. (jg) William K. Russell, AFA Finance Officer; Lt. (jg) R.M. Maust, AFA (1st Lieut., Cavalry-Res., U.S.A.), Supply Officer; Mr. H.E. Reice, Public Relations Direcotr; Mr. R. Adams, Chief Engineer and Mr. C.W. Goebel, Director of Athletics.
Pine Beach Summer 1933 A review of the news, events and culture of summer eighty years ago compiled from materials available in the Wheeler Room of the Toms River Library. The Pine Beach Realty Company, comprised of Larry E. Jamieson and Arthur L. Herbert, purchased from Otto Morris & Associates of Spring Lake the remaining 1,385 plots in Pine Beach, opening a Newark office at 965 Broad Street... on June 22nd, Admiral Samuel S. Robison and Edgar C. VanDyke, legal advisor for Admiral Farragut Academy, along with several others completed negotiations with Albert Schweigert to purchase the Pine Beach Inn and grounds for the school. Twenty-one boys were already signed up to attend as of this date and after alterations it was expected to house up to 120 cadets in the inn itself, with other buildings planned... the Pine Beach Chapel announced that summer services would again be conducted by John S. Smith, Jr., a 1932 graduate of Toms River High School who was studying for the ministry at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania... the concrete steps at Henley Avenue pier were replaced by new ones... the first day of physical work on the new
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Admiral Farragut Academy campus began on June 30th, when workers arrived and cleaned up the grounds around the Pine Beach Inn. Lt. Cmdr. Fred C. Patten, who became the school’s first dean and registrar, stated that it would be necessary to refurnish the bedrooms at least partially; arrange classrooms; turn the big garage into a gymnasium; lay out the athletic field; turn the house on site into an infirmary; erect a suitable dock on the waterfront and continue raising capital to fund all improvements. Residents from Pine Beach and Beachwood responded to this call for funding, with some purchasing a large amount of stock in the academy... the annually large Independence Day celebration here included the St. Bartholomew’s boys’ band of Philadelphia performing sixty pieces of music; a parade beginning at 9:30 am headed by Mayor LeRoy J. Hutchinson as marshal and winding up at the ballfield for the ceremony; William E. Stokes offering prayer and Dr. Earl C. Rice welcoming the crowds; the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner and then land sports, including running races, potato races, quoits, basketball and baseball throwing, a peanut scramble and more; a ballgame at 1:30
pm between the New York Bloomer girls and the Pine Beach ball club; and afternoon swimming races, water sports and motorboat races capped by an open house dance in the evening at the Pine Beach Yacht Club... administrators with the naval academy announced it would open its doors for the fall semester on September 26th and work continued on the site in mid-July, including painters throughout the former Pine Beach Inn building and plans for a seawall, dock and boathouse for the vessels being provided by the Navy. It was also expected that a good-sized craft, perhaps an outmoded destroyer or one of the merchant marine fleet from World War I would be brought to the academy via bay and river... by mid-August, ten classrooms were built and furnished, the bulkhead and dock were underway and the main building was painted and repaired inside and out... ground was broken near the end of August for a new 60 feet by 100 feet gymnasium on the academy grounds, while further work was undertaken to extend the new dock to a length of 100 feet, making it twice the size as originally planned...
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
BRICK
A Retirement and a Promotion at the Brick Police Department by Capt. Robert Mazza BRICK-”It is with great reluctance that the Brick Township Police Department is announcing the retirement of Lt. Edward Waldhelm,” said Captain Robert Mazza of the Brick Township Police Department. “As of September 1st, 2013, Lt. Waldhelm officially retired from the Brick Police Department. Lt. Waldhelm started his career with the Brick Township Police Department in 1988 with his graduation from the New Jersey State Municipal Academy where he was a member of the 189 graduating class. During his 12 years as a Patrolman, Lt. Waldhelm was assigned to numerous divisions within the Department including the Detective Bureau, Narcotics Bureau and he also had the privilege to be assigned to the Ocean County Narcotics Strike Force. Lt. Waldhelm excelled in all of the positions he was assigned and received numerous awards and commendations for his performance. One of the most prestigious awards he received was the Patrolman of the Year Award and the Thomas McNelis Award. In December of 2000, Lt. Waldhelm was promoted
Brick Airman Awarded Promotion for Excellence by Michael Battles AVIANO AIR BASE, ITALY- What started out as a normal day for one Brick native assigned to the 603rd Air Control Squadron, turned out to be a big leap in his Air Force Career. Out of more than 39,000 Air Force members assigned to United States Forces in Europe, then Staff Sgt. Craig Stawicki, 603rd Air Control Squadron NCO in charge of force protection, was promoted through the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program to the rank of Technical Sergeant. The announcement of Stawickis promotion was made by Brig. Gen. Jon Norman, 31st Fighter Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Mark Batzer,
31st FW command chief, who were at the ceremony. “This means a lot to me because it shows that my leadership stands behind me and sees that I have been working really hard not just towards my job, but with everything I have done in the military,” Stawicki said. Each year, major commands are allotted a number of promotions under the STEP program, which automatically allows a service member to move up in rank bypassing the standard selection process. This year USAFE awarded three
promotions through the program with Stawickis being the only Aviano Airman to be promoted.” “I have had an opportunity to observe sergeant Stawickis performance since 2008 and he has always operated one level above his pay grade, and continues to do so,” said Senior Master Sgt. Jamie Kitchen, 603rd superintendent.
Lt. Edward Waldhelm (L) and Lt. Keith Reinhard (R). to Sergeant was assigned to assigned as a Field Training the patrol division. He was Officer, training new reeventually transferred to cruits. In 1998 Lt. Reinthe Detective Bureau where hard was transferred to the he was the Supervisor of the Detective Bureau where he Drug Enforcement Unit and served as one of the departthe General Detective Bu- ment’s first school resource reau until he was promoted officer’s and also became a member of the Speto Lieutenant in 2007. As a Lieutenant, he was as- cial Emergency Response signed as the Assistant Pa- Team. In September 2003, trol Division Commander. he was promoted to the During Super Storm Sandy, rank of Sergeant where he he was assigned as the In- was assigned to the evening cident Commander for the shift in the Patrol Division. During this assignment, he patrol Division. Lt. Waldhelm is a highly supervised a patrol squad decorated member of the along with the K-9 Unit and Police Department, who’s Motorcycle/Bicycle Unit. In 2008 he was transferred career touched the lives of many Brick Residents. to the Community PolicHis dedication and profes- ing Division where he susionalism, though out his pervised the Brick Police 25 year career, made Lt. Emergency Medical SerWaldhelm a mentor to all vices Unit and served as the the new Police officers and back-up Public Information a highly respected member Officer. In January of this of the department. Though year Lt. Reinhard was transhe will be missed, we wish ferred to the Administrative him continued success in Services Division where he his new endeavors. Keith was assigned to the ProfesReinhard has been a mem- sional Standards Unit. Lt. Reinhard has received ber of the Brick Township Police Department since numerous awards and com1994 when he graduated mendations throughout his the Gloucester County Po- career including 2 Merilice Academy as a member torious Service Awards, 3 Exceptional Duty Awards, 2 of Class # 7. Lt. Reinhard worked his Honorable Service Awards, first three years in the pa- 1 Life Saving Award and nutrol division where he ex- merous performance comcelled. He was subsequently mendations.
DID YOU KNOW? Last year, the Brick Police Department purchased the last Ford Crown Victoria and this year has begun introducing the Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicle in its patrol fleet? It was a year long process in which the department tested other alternatives, but the Charger adds more interior room and packs a 370 horsepower V8 engine that can cycle down to four cylinder mode when that power isn’t needed. The Charger Pursuit vehicle can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.83 seconds.
Brick’s New Bocce Champs
Phil Zehrer and Dan Santaniello were crowned Brick Bocce League Champions last weekend. Photo by Brick Twp. Read the Ocean Signal online: www.oceancountysignal.com
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Brick Hosts Green Fair by Phil Stilton BRICK-Green was the word of the day at the 3rd annual Brick Township Green Fair, held on Saturday, September 7th. The fair was hosted by the township’s Renewable Energy Advisory Comittee , the Brick MUA, Brick Environmental Commission, Department of Public Works and the Tourist Development Commission. Councilman John Ducey who was in attendance said the yearly event promotes awareness to the township’s green initiatives and showcases other green opportunities to residents. “The committee seeks ways to reduce energy and introduce alternative energy solutions such as the solar panels on town hall,” Mr. Ducey said. “They volunteer their time to research products and solutions and host this fair each year.” Many groups came together with one agenda, to make the community a cleaner place to live and to encourage the adoption of a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. “It was a great event,” Ducey said. “The more we can do to have a green town, the better.”
Brick Township TNR Program.
Brick Township Civilian Emergency Response Team (CERT)
Brick Township Environmental Commission. All photos by Brick Township.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
TOMS RIVER TRPD Promotes and Appoints New Members TOMS RIVER - The Toms River Police Department, along with the township mayor and council, appointed and promoted ten members of the force during this week’s governing body meeting, here, including:
PROMOTION: Detective Robert T. O’Neill - Badge #255
Detective Robert T. O’Neill was hired by the Toms River Police Department in 1994 and is a graduate of Toms River High School South. He earned an associate of arts degree from Ocean County College and a bachelors degree in business management from Temple University, Philadelphia. Det. O’Neill also proudly served in the United States Coast Guard, retiring in 2009 after 23 years of service. His specialized assignments within the department have included as an investigator with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office/Narcotics Strike Force and as a field training officer. He also serves on the executive board of the Toms River PBA Local 137. Det. O’Neill is also the recipient of several departmental commendations, and in 2011 was named ‘Law Enforcement Officer of the Year’ by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of New Jersey. He has been married to his lovely wife, Beth, for 24 years and together they have three terrific children - Ashley, Amanda and Sean.
PROMOTION: Sergeant Christopher D. McDowell Badge #312
Sergeant Christopher McDowell grew up in Island Heights and graduated from Central Regional High School, after which he attended Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and later joined the United States Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm. In 1994, he graduated from the police academy and worked in Seaside Heights until 1997, when he was hired by the Shrewsbury Police Department, where he worked until 2001. That year, Sgt. McDowell was hired by the Toms River Police Department where today he is a firearms instructor, field training officer and the department’s composite sketch artist. He is also a member of the emergency service unit, sniper team and color guard. He resides in Toms River with his wife, Anna, and three children - Marisa, Christian and Sofia.
PROMOTION: Traffic Safety Officer Steve C. Schwartz - Badge #293
Traffic Safety Officer Steven Schwartz is a lifelong resident of Toms River, having graduated from Toms River High School North and later earning an associate degree in criminal justice from Ocean County College in 1991. In 2000, Officer Schwartz completed the Ocean County Police Academy (Class 75) as an honor graduate. Prior to joining the Toms River Police Department, he was employed by the U.S. Coast Guard from 1991 to 2003. Officer Schwartz is a proud
father of two - Gunnar, 7, and Sonja, 4.
APPOINTMENT: Officer Eric J. Spiecker - Badge #384
Ptl. Eric Spiecker is a lifelong resident of Toms River and a 2004 graduate of Toms River High School East. In 2009, he graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelors of arts in criminal justice, after which he began his law enforcement career with the Toms River Police Department as a Class I Jail Officer. In 2012, Ptl. Spiecker was hired as a corrections officer with the Ocean County Department of Corrections and graduated as part of the county academy’s basic course for corrections officers, Class #3, in June 2012. In December 2012, he was hired as patrolman by the township department and was sent to the Monmouth County Police Academy, graduating on May 23rd of this year. Ptl. Spiecker is currently assigned to the midnight shift, Squad 2.
APPOINTMENT: Officer Lawrence N. DiFabio Badge #385
Ptl. Lawrence DiFabio was raised in Moorestown, Burlington County, where he attended Holy Cross School. After graduation, he went to the Florida Institute of Technology on a baseball scholarship and graduate with a bachelors of arts in psychology in 2006. In 2007, Ptl. DiFabio moved to Toms River with his wife, Ashley, and was employed by Canon Business Solutions as a sales representative prior to being hired by the township police department. He graduated from Monmouth County Police Academy on May 23rd of this year and he and his wife are expecting twin girls this coming October.
APPOINTMENT: Officer Michael A. DeRosa - Badge #386
Ptl. Michael DeRosa was born and raised in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township and currently resides in Forked River with his wife of six years, Marypat, and their 4-year-old twins, Evan and Leah. A graduate of the Ocean County Police Academy, Special Officer’s Class 19 of May 2005, he received a waiver of training in 2007 and was a patrolman for the Chesterfield Township Police Department, Burlington County for 6 1/2 years prior to joining the Toms River Police Department. Ptl. DeRosa holds an associate in science degree in criminal justice from Ocean County College and is currently assigned to the midnight shift.
APPOINTMENT: Officer Krzysztof Kowalczyk Badge #387
Born in Poland, Ptl. Krzysztof Kowalczyk moved to Edison, Middlesex County, in 1990 and attended John P. Stevens High School, after which he attended Ramapo College before transferring to Rutgers University, where he earned a bachelor of arts in criminal justice. In December 2012, Ptl. Kowalczyk graduated from the Somerset County Police
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Academy and was previously employed by the Rutgers Police Department from 2009 to 2013. In 2010, he moved to Manchester Township with his fiancé, Taryn Mokar.
APPOINTMENT: Officer Eric Scamporino - Badge #388
Ptl. Eric Scamporino moved to Toms River in 1988 and graduated from Toms River High School East before attending and graduating from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey with a bachelor of arts. Prior to joining the Toms River Police Department, he was a Class I Officer in 2008 for Point Pleasant Beach before graduating from the Ocean County Police Academy in 2009 and was promoted to Class II Officer in that borough. In 2010, Ptl. Scamporino worked in the New Jersey State Prison prior to being hired as a Class II Officer by Allenhurst until this year.
APPOINTMENT: Officer Kevin Oliver - Badge #389
Ptl. Kevin Oliver is a lifelong resident of Toms River, where he graduated from Toms River High School North in 2004 prior to earning a bachelor of arts in marketing from The College of New Jersey. While in college, he was on the swim team and earned All-American honors for three years. Prior to being hired by the Toms River Police Department, Ptl. Oliver was a Special Law Enforcement Officer with the Seaside Park Police Department, graduating from Ocean County Police Academy in 2010. Ptl. Oliver is currently assigned to the day shift.
APPOINTMENT: Officer Christopher D. Inglis Badge #390
A lifelong resident of the township, Ptl. Christopher Inglis has been employed by the Toms River Police Department since 2007 as a dispatcher and community service officer. Ever since his time at Toms River High School North, his dream was to become an officer in Toms River. Graduating from there and the Ocean County Vocational Technical School’s Academy of Law and Public Safety in 2006, he went on to earn an associate’s degree in business administration from Ocean County College and a bachelors degree in criminal justice from American InterContinental University. During college, Ptl. Inglis volunteered throughout Toms River as an auxiliary police officer and firefighter with the Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Company, Station 30. In 2008, he graduated from the Monmouth County Police Academy and became a Class II Officer in Belmar. Ptl. Inglis is currently assigned to the Ocean County Police Academy as a police recruit in training. Special thanks to the Toms River Police Department for submitting the officers’ biographies which we adapted to build this article.
Toms River, Summer 1933 A review of the news, events and culture of summer eighty years ago compiled from materials available in the Wheeler Room of the Toms River Library. In mid-June, the garage and barn of the former Sam Applegate place on Hooper Avenue north of James Street, then owned by Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Harpe, burned to the ground, attracting heavy traffic along the roadway. A seller of Sinclair gasolines and oils, Mr. Harpe had two tank motor trucks in the garage, one of which was saved and the other burnt. His wife also ran a horseback riding academy out of the barn, but all the horses were out of their stables at the time... Gus Gant began operating a grocer’s delivery route in the Silverton section... Lawrence R. Berrien, a Civil War veteran and father to well-known local photographer Charles Berrien, died at his son’s Lein Street home at the age of 88 years following a stroke and rapid declining health... the township committee and Toms River Development Co., owners of the bay shore tract of land, came to an agreement where the developers would give the township 1,850 feet of waterfront for public use as long as the township did not commercialize it with bathhouses, signs or other encroachments. Additionally, if residents of the tract wanted to build a yacht club, they were permitted to do so on pilings between Grover and Foster streets... the committee authorized township engineer James W. Lillie to prepare plans for a street to be known as Law Street to run north of Washington Street (today Route 37) in order to open traffic to an area of some 15 to 20 homes that at the time only had a narrow access road... John Reed Kilpatrick, a former resident of Toms River whose family’s summer home became the Riverview House (a hotel that later burned down and is today the site of a cluster of condominiums that juts out into the river at the end of Hooper Avenue at Water Street), was just made president of the Madison Square Garden Corporation. He held that role until his death in 1960 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for his work with the New York Rangers during that era... Al Ridgway, who for many years was a conductor on the Central Railroad of New Jersey between Barnegat and New York City, visited Toms River. It was noted that many locally remembered him and his signal to the train engineer: “Take her away, Jack!”... in late June the township committee passed on second reading an ordinance formally organizing a police department in order to enable policemen to receive benefits from patrolmen’s associations if they are injured or disabled... various sections of the township had organized baseball “nines,” or teams, to compete
against each other locally and regionally... Patrolman Charles Ludlow, while marking the time of day on the tires of parked automobiles along main street in order to check their time limits through the day, stopped to write 9:30 in chalk on the seat of pants worn by a gentleman standing on the street corner... Charles Thompson, manager of the Toms River Boat Works, reported a great season and that “there is no depression in the boat business. There are no good secondhand cruisers between 26 feet and 35 feet to be had. All the good ones have been sold” and orders for new boats were coming in. Additionally, the firm reported overhauling, painting and launching 50 boats before the official start of the season, and that all of the boats in the yard were sold save one 50-foot sloop... the days leading into the July 4th holiday were pre-empted by a strong nor’easter that dropped temperatures to 53 degrees, closed beaches and endangered watercraft around the region while filling local movie theaters to the walls with throngs of vacationers stranded indoors... two fires broke out at and after midnight on July 7th, one a result of illicit use of firecrackers. That fire occurred at Mohawk Laundry on Irons Street and was quickly extinguished but resulted in approximately $400 in damages. At about 1:30 am, a second fire in a Water Street meat market owned by M.J. Hayden broke out when a belt jumped the motor of an electric refrigerator, causing slight damage by the time it was extinguished... many young adults who graduated from high school entered the federal Civilian Conservation Corps, often in forestry services, regionally and across the country as work was scarce to be found during the Great Depression... speed boats were regularly seen being driven attached to cars and trucks up and down Main Street, to and from races around the region... by way of tax sale and foreclosure, Dover Township acquired approximately 12 acres of beach land known as the Runkle tract in North Lavallette, which was once in the Westmont Shores property... approximately 135 representatives from 14 poultrymen’s associations convened for a meeting in the Jewish Community Center on Old Freehold Road on July 13th to adopt a resolution requesting government intervention “to regulate the dumping of cold storage supplies or set up a special financial relief body for the poultry industry” due to the disparity between steadily mounting costs of poultry feeds and other commodities and the static price of eggs... two more illegal slot machines were seized from the Surf Club in Ortley Beach by Dover Township police and broken open to reveal and collect the monies inside (ap-
proximately $23 in this case - worth about $400 today) to the chagrin of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, which was in an ongoing dispute with the township over their being broken open upon seizure, claiming destruction of evidence. Toms River committeemen felt differently, stating numerous times that the county was only interested in collecting the monies found inside for its own coffers... the recently organized Toms River Police Department held a fundraiser dance at Dutch’s Inn near the bayfront in mid-July, netting $125 (worth approximately $2,250 today) with plans to start a pension fund... Pleasant Plains section resident William Meyer reported owning an otherwise healthy and active fourweek-old turkey that had three legs; its third leg had just two toes and grew from the knee joint plus two additional toes appearing at the tip of each wing... the Shuster Potter business on Lakewood Road in the Pleasant Plains section reported brisk business by mid-July... many homeless dogs were reported roaming around the Silverton section all summer... many people regularly observed the boat races of the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association from the shorelines... Miller’s Camp on Money Island reported a successful season... two truck drivers - Calvin Agnoli and Fabio Matazzo - with the Tar Asphalt Surface Company of New Brunswick was caught dumping nearly 100 gallons of oil refuse into the river on two occasions over a weekend in mid-July at the foot of Robbins Parkway, spreading oil left over from the construction of the Beaver Dam Bridge roadway over the surface of the water and along banks marked for swimming, upsetting residents and officials throughout the river area. Charles Thompson, who owned the boathouse nearby, told law enforcement that he saw the truck backed up to the river at around 7 pm at night on Saturday while he was heading home and upon returning the following morning found a heavy coating of oil all over the river. Other residents supported officials with eyewitness statements of the dumping itself. Hulls of watercraft and docks around the area were found thickly coated by the refuse and the Shell Oil Company employees at the marine filling station on Mathis Plaza reported that business suffered as a result of the dumping. Boaters coming up the river refused to pull farther up the river upon viewing the oil and dead fish were seen floating throughout the area. Bathers unaware of the pollution early Sunday morning entered the river at various points and came up covered in the oil. Damage was estimated at $20,000, or approximately $360,000 today...
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore News NEW AND RENEWED MEMBERSHIPS
Anyone interested in attaining a new member registration or renewing their old one can log onto the website at www.girlscoutsjs.org or by calling (800) 785-2090 and sign up. The public is also invited to check out the other GSJS at www.shorefamilyfun. com for open to the public events, facility rentals, parties, team building, STEM and more.
GAMMA SIGMA GROUP MEMBERS WANTED
All high school girls and
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any adults interested in participating in Gamma Sigma, an interest group focusing on issues affecting girls and women worldwide, are invited to join. This year’s focus will be on advocacy and how its members’ voices can be heard locally and globally as many issues affecting girls and women worldwide are also here at home, including human trafficking, poverty, disease and environmental sustainability. The next open meeting will be held Friday, September 27th at 7:30 pm the
Ocean Service Center, located at 1405 Old Freehold Road, Toms River.
SECOND ANNUAL REUNION
Anyone who was ever a girl scout is invited to enjoy festivities while reconnecting with those wonderful memories and like-minded people at the second annual reunion on Saturday, October 6th from 2 to 5 pm at the Program Activity Center on 127 Yellow Brook Road, Farmingdale. The first 60 registered guests receive a reunion t-shirt.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
JACKSON
Passing Thunderstorm Turned Jackson Day into Fright Fest
by Phil Stilton JACKSON-Thousands of local residents came out for Jackson Day to celebrate at Johnson Park on a sunny, hot and humid afternoon. The annual event was hosted by the Jackson Township Clean Communities, a state sponsored program which receives approximately $100,000 per year in public funding to host the event and to promote recycling within the community throughout the year. In the past few months, local organizations were assigned portions of township roads to clean up in exchange for 10 x 10 table space at the event, which was focused around recycling and keeping the community clean. They day started on a high note while vendors displayed their wares and services and non-profits cooked up delicacies from around the world–from Mexican, Italian, Asian and American classics to hot and hungry guests. The event kicked off with a performance by the Jackson Memorial Jaguar Marching Band and a children’s choir from the township’s summer camp program. Mayor Michael Reina and Clean Communities Coordinator Pat Wood launched the event on the main stage shortly after 11 am. Rides were provided this year, but with a $5 admission fee. In past years, rides
For more Jackson Day photos, scan the QR code above. were free for children who brought recyclables to the event. As the sun got hotter and the day more humid, firefighters from the Jackson Mills Fire Department set up a sprinkler for the children to run through to cool off after active sessions of rock climbing, jousting and other carnival rides and blow up activities. The day was progressing nicely and a constant flow of visitors entered the park, at one point hitting max capacity as the township shuttled visitors from parking lots at nearby Jackson Liberty High School. Then, it happened. A strong thunderstorm passed through Ocean County with heavy rain, bringing with it strong winds and lightning. People rushed to their cars as the rain only got harder and the wind got stronger. Lightning began to strike areas around the park as hundreds of people huddled underneath their flimsy 10×10 canopies, many holding the support legs to keep their tents from blowing away, which a few did. Strong gusts eventually blew a 25 foot tall blowup slide from its groundings and it began to roll through the park, narrowly missing a picnic tent area before it was caught by several guests and held down until it could be deflated. “Were stuck under the tent with the tables. It was crazy,” said Jackson resi-
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dent Joyce LaBrutto. “The blowup slide uprooted with a large gust of wind and came at us.. Then we saw some of the vendor tents being tossed up into the air–we had to get on the table tops and hold onto the bars on the tent because we thought it was next–but I really knew we were in trouble when the National Guard left.” While many decided to wait out the storm, it only grew worse. Eventually vendors began to pack up early under near monsoon conditions as the field began to flood throughout. By 5 pm, the field was nearly cleared of vendors and the announcement was made to cancel the night time fireworks. “It was a crazy storm,” said resident Michele Ferigne, “One that won’t be forgotten.” “We were under that table tent…and when that bouncy house started blowing right for us we decided to make a run for the parking lot and pray that a bus was there to bring us to our cars at Liberty,” said Cheryl Paciorek. ”That lightning was terrifying and having two young kids screaming and as scared as we were didn’t help.” Although the rain prematurely ended the event–for the four hours prior–the outing provided residents with an opportunity to gather and celebrate the one day each year where the entire
town comes together. Jackson Day historically has also served as the launch day of political campaigns in Ocean County. As is customary, politicians running for office at the state and district levels pop in to show their faces to the locals. This year, political hopefuls at the school board, state legislature, congressional and county levels all briefly visited with residents and distributed their leaflets, surely not to be seen in Jackson until their next election. Despite the rain and the pandering of local politicians, it was a good day. The festival has shown continuous improvement over past years’ performances. The best news of course, was the announcement of the relaunch of the township’s favorite publication, JTOWN Magazine, which was put on hold in the months after Hurricane Sandy blew through Ocean County. The first issue of JTOWN is expected be delivered in October and published by the Ocean Signal Media Group.
Top: Jaguar Memorial Marching Band. Middle: NJSP helicopter, members of Jackson fire dept., police dept. Bottom: Children’s summer camp choir.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Jackson PBA Hosts Pig Roast On September 7th, the Jackson PBA hosted their 14th annual Pig Roast at Pine Park in Lakewood. Photos by Patrick Mackin.
Jackson Woman Turns 100 by Phil Stilton JACKSON-Vera McChesney turned 100 this month. Vera was born in August of 1913 in Trenton. She graduated from Trenton State College and received her degree in Early Education. She also received her master’s degree in Education while living in Indiana. She taught in New Jersey, Indiana, Texas and Arizona. While teaching she received the Hilda Mailing Scholarship. Vera is a member of the P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) and Alpha
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Delta Kappa. Vera has several nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces. She has traveled extensively through Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. She lived in Arizona for the past 60 years prior to returning to New Jersey in December 2011 to live closer to her relatives. She plays Bridge and other card games and recently enjoyed learning to play Scrabble. Vera currently lives in Jackson, New Jersey at the Bella Terra Assisted Living.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Rolling Thunder to be Dismantled After Season
Jackson’s Miss New Jersey Heading to Disneyland JACKSON-Nine year old Kayla Ogno of Jackson was recently crowned Miss New Jersey at the National American Miss New Jersey Pageant. She and her family will head to Anaheim, California and Disneyland this November to represent the Garden State and to compete for the title of Miss National American Miss. Kayla will also be in this year’s Seaside Heights Columbus Day parade.
by Garrett Greb JACKSON-After a 35 year history, Six Flags has decided to dismantle the park’s longtime iconic wooded coaster, Rolling Thunder. The dual track coaster which was built in 1979 is making way for the company’s newest adventure, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom which will be attached to the framework of the 456 foot Kingda Ka. The park describes the new attraction as a 41 story 90 mile per hour free-fall. “Zumanjaro pushes thrills to heights never imagined when Great Adventure first opened in 1974,” said park historian and author Har-
ry Applegate. “You could stack the tallest major attractions from Great Adventure’s opening season on top of one another, including the Big Wheel, Log Flume, Runaway Train and Skyride, and you would still be more than 50 feet shy of Zumanjaro.” “Advances in technology have led to a new generation of rides with the sleek intensity of El Toro, the world’s No. 1 wooden coaster,” Fitzgerald said. Guests will be able to enjoy Rolling Thunder until it closes to the public September 8, 2013 to make way for construction. File Photo by SFTP.
New Faces Greet Students at Several Jackson Schools by Phil Stilton JACKSON-With the retirement of Superintendent Thomas Gialanella and promotion of Assistant Superintendent Lu Anne Meinders, the Jackson School District has once again shuffled principals for the second year in a row. Students at several schools will start the 201314 school year with their third principal in as many years. Theresa Licitra who served as principal at Elms Elementary School for the 2012-13 school year after serving as principal of the Holman Elementary School prios was named Director of Curriculum for the district Michael Burgos who took over as Holman principal to replace Licitra is now taking her former position at Elms Elementary.
Richard Karas who was recently hired as Assistant Principal at Switlik Elementary will be the new principal at Holman. Robert Rotante, the McAuliffe Middle School principal since 2010, was also named Director of Curriclum for the district. District spokesperson Allison Erwin states that Mrs. Licitra and Mr. Rotante, though having the same title will oversee different areas of the district. Debra Phillips, the former Assistant Principal at McAuliffe, will be the new principal at McAuliffe. Carl Perino, former Assistant Principal at Jackson Memorial High School, will be the new Assistant Principal at McAuliffe. Kyle Brunson, recently hired by the district will serve as the new Assistant Principal at Jackson Memorial High School.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
SEASIDE HEIGHTS
Non-Essential Items Looted From Business After Hurricane Sandy by Phil Stilton SEASIDE HEIGHTS-It was originally presented to the media in July as a case of dire necessity after Hurricane Sandy devastated Seaside Heights, but it’s now starting to appear to be nothing short of looting. This week, after a report obtained by the Star Ledger identified items business owner Ted Domaracki claimed first responders stole from his Shore Army Navy store, a clearer picture has been painted about what was actually taken from the business int he days after the storm slammed down on the community. The report was made available through an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request for documents initiated by the Star Ledger. In July, Seaside Heights Business Administrator Jon Camera stated first responders gained entry into the business for the purpose of securing essential items needed for survival in the days and weeks after Hurricane Sandy. The ledger report and the itemized list of missing items told a different story. The Ocean Signal broke this story in July and interviewed Seaside Heights Business Administrator Jon Camera about the incident. “We have identified what was taken and we did our due diligence, but the problem became, what was taken by the fire department and what was taken afterwards,” he said, adding that after the initial breach and entry by members of the fire department, the building was not secured and the borough suspects other individuals
were responsible for the balance of missing items. It also came to light that after the initial breach, Seaside Heights police officers were posted at the building to prevent further looting. Camera, is now saying the determination to pay the business $185,000 was not a case of what was taken before and after as he reported to the Signal in July, but a case of what was taken that was perceived as necessary to the violator(s) and what was, by all definitions, items illegally looted from the business. The Domaracki family, the owners of the Shore Army-Navy, initially claimed $212,613 in missing items, leaving an approximately $27,000 discrepancy. In July, Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd stated that the individuals under suspicion are members of the Seaside Heights Volunteer Fire Company and that no officers from his department were involved in the theft. Aside from clearing out of $212,000 in ‘emergency’ supplies, unknwon persons, according to the itemized list, also took 42 zippo lighters, 38 pairs of sunglasses, military dress hats, Betty Boop plates, Elvis plates, coins, golf balls, key chains, statues, GI Joe dolls, flags and shot glasses, accoring to the report. Other non-essential items include twelve Mickey Mouse boots, over sized extreme cold weather boots worn by U.S. Military personnel in extreme cold and snow conditions, not practical for the type of recovery effort in Seaside Heights. The boots are designed to be worn in temperatures far below freezing and are called Mickey Mouse boots because their size
makes wearers look like the Disney character, Mickey Mouse. Eight pellet guns were reported missing along with 14 ghillie suits. Ghillie suits are camouflaged suits commonly worn by U.S. military snipers and in some cases, hunters to blend into the natural terrain and landscape. 35 pairs of jungle boots, Golf hand towels, 20 wallets, compasses, K-bar fighting knives, Israeli gas masks, a Coleman refrigerator, 57 bandanas, body bags, 27 digital cameras, military dress shirts, Mexican blankets, handcuffs, police batons and World War II netting were also among the items reported missing by the store’s owners. After the hurricane, members of the press were kept out of Seaside Heights for nearly 60 days, except for closely guarded tours by public officials and the local police departments to certain predetermined locations. Looting was also reported by the owners of the 7-11 convenience store on Central Boulevard and an unidentified liquor store. The owners of the 7-11 decided not to pursue criminal charges and were directed at the corporate level to not press the matter. No other persons or first responders accused of allegedly perpetrating the looting have yet to be identified by any law enforcement agencies and to date, no criminal charges have been filed. The office of the Attorney General and the Ocean County Prosecutors Office both acknowledge an ongoing investigation and would not comment. A call last Thursday morning to Camera’s office was not returned.
State: AshBritt Overcharged Ocean County by over $300,000 State Appointed Debris Removal Firm’s Rounding Cost Taxpayers Additional Charges by Phil Stilton TRENTON-AshBritt, the North Carolina company chosen by the Christie Administration for municipal debris removal in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, has overcharged eight Ocean County municipalities $300,000 according to a report released today by the state comptroller. An Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) investigation of Sandy debris removal services in Ocean County found a series of erroneous and miscalculated hauling charges but did not find persuasive evidence of intentional over billing, according to a report released today. Those municipalities
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were Bay Head, Brick, Point Pleasant, Berkeley Township, Mantoloking, Seaside Heights, Toms River and Lavallette. A large portion of the over billing was in Brick Township where the municipality was charged an additional $129,463.98 for an approximately one mile discrepancy in the distance. In total, OSC found more than $300,000 in overcharges and other questionable billings charged to nine towns impacted by the storm. AshBritt was the debris hauler responsible for disposing of the debris, while three debris-removal monitors (Arcadis U.S., Inc., the Louis Berger Group, Inc. and Witt O’Brien’s, LLC) were responsible for calculating the transport mileage supporting each invoice and recommending whether payment should be made by the municipality. The Brick and Bay Head over charges were the result of a mileage recalcu-
lation in which the state found the distance to the Ocean County landfill in Toms River contained the one mile discrepancy. The state also found $47,473.49 in additional costs due to rounding in Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head and Mantoloking. Other “Miscalculations and Errors” netted the company an additional $86,847 at the expense of taxpayers. The overcharges represented approximately six percent of the total debris hauling charges that OSC reviewed as part of its investigation. The vendors have agreed to adjust all of those overcharges identified by OSC and credit the towns that were overbilled. “In the effort to rebuild New Jersey, every dollar matters,” State Comptroller Matthew Boxer said. “We are pleased that as a result of this investigation, towns recovering from Sandy will recoup debris hauling fees that should not have been paid.”
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Stars at the Shore
Seaside Heights, Summer 1933 A review of the news, events and culture of summer eighty years ago compiled from materials available in the Wheeler Room of the Toms River Library.
On August 27th, Queen Latifah was in Seaside Heights to film a segment for her television show while crews built a new playground at the field adjacent to the Hugh J. Boyd Elementary School. Photo by Cameron Wuesthoff.
On September 7th, Derek Jeter’s gal pal, supermodel Hannah Davis was on the boardwalk posing for a photo shoot. Prior to her romantic relationship with the New York Yankees’ captain and superstar shortstop, she modeled for Ralph Lauren and was in Directv commercials. Photo by Lucky Leos’
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The Union Church began alterations to its facilities, increasing the basement in the rear by 28 feet to make more Sunday school rooms due to increased attendance... the borough volunteer fire company was called out when the bridge across the bay caught fire and caused minor damage. The public was reminded not to throw lit cigars or cigarettes out of their vehicles while on the bridge; violators in the future would be arrested... construction of facilities for the new nursery school on the beach at the foot of Sherman Avenue were just about complete, with swings, sliding boards and other playground equipment erected for students ages two to six. Also featured at the school during its operating hours of 9 am to noon would be story hour and a nursery song period, followed by rhythmic exercises and games... wrestling, a sport that had gained a resurgence of popularity by the early 1930s, came to the borough for a summer series of matches under the management of
Johnny Ipp, event organizer and former boxing promoter of Trenton... D.R. Richmond, Jr., resumed his duties at the borough rail station... possibly the last holdout of all municipalities along the shore who introduced beach badges and daily tickets for access in 1932-33, Seaside Heights finally succumbed to the realization after July 4th that it could no longer afford to offer free access due to the overwhelming crowds and litter especially exacerbated by the funneling effect of vacationers preferring the free beach over the nearby paid ones. Beach badges were introduced shortly thereafter... the borough, which operated its own power generating plant, lowered electric rates for residents, stating they had been too high and could be reduced to help in the economic depression... Sunset Island again became Pelican Island as new owners took it over and began again attempts to bring homeowners there to develop it further... five young people were killed when their automobile struck the counterweight and careened through the open drawbridge over the Barnegat Bay on their way to Forked River from an evening out at Asbury Park...
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Read the Ocean Signal online: www.oceancountysignal.com
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
OCEAN GATE
Councilman Mailot’s Office Challenged by Erik Weber OCEAN GATE - During the first few moments of this borough’s August 14th governing body meeting, during the first open public session, East Bayview Avenue resident and 2013 Democratic candidate for council, Irene Merlin, approached the governing body and stated that she had evidence that Councilman Charles Mailot was now a resident of Lacey Township and that his office in Ocean Gate must be considered vacant. Mr. Mailot was a victim of last October’s Hurricane Sandy, which devastated much of the area including the eastern portion of Ocean Gate, where his home was located several lots in from the riverfront and heavily flooded by surge waters there. “Mr. Mailot now lives in Lacey Township and is registered to vote in Lacey,” said Ms. Merlin, quoting the state statute that would deem his office vacant as a result.
“He is no longer in the corporeal limits of the municipality of the ward from which he was elected - therefore, councilman, you must resign.” “That’s not true,” responded Mr. Mailot, visibly upset and flustered. “Yes it is,” replied Ms. Merlin. “I did not vote in Lacey Township,” said Mr. Mailot. “I don’t know if you did, but you’re registered to vote there and the voter [identification] is identical to Ocean Gate,” said the East Bayview Avenue resident. Mr. Mailot continued to state his innocence. Ms. Merlin said was doubtful that anybody would have registered him to vote without his knowledge and added that she would be in touch with the county prosecutor’s office the next day. “And I don’t think misleading the public about it is appropriate,” she added. Mayor Paul Kennedy, who noted that the bor-
ough attorney was not present, stated that he would look into the matter and get back to Ms. Merlin. Ms. Merlin stated that Mr. Mailot would have to contact the Ocean County Board of Elections to find out how it happened, and added that his wife was also not registered to vote in Ocean Gate. In a letter addressed to Ms. Merlin and provided to the Ocean Signal upon request, Mayor Kennedy wrote: Dear Ms. Merlin: I am in receipt of your email dated August 21, 2013 containing the false and misleading allegations accusing Councilman Charles Mailot of serving the Borough of Ocean Gate “Illegally”. I have had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Mailot with regard to his situation. As you may or may not be aware, Mr. Mailot was a resident of Ocean Gate and renting a home located at [exact home address withheld for privacy consideration - Editor] Newport Avenue when Superstorm Sandy struck and devastated the Borough on October 29, 2012. Since then, Councilman Mailot has been unable to occupy his residence due to the substantial damage which rendered it uninhabitable and it remains so. As such, Mr. Mailot was displaced from Ocean
Gate and has taken up temporary residence in Lacey Township with his family. The documents you provided show access to an online “electionet server” not available to the general public, but apparently accessed on your behalf by an Ocean County Board of Elections worker, based upon the User ID. Whether that act was legal, illegal or proper is not the subject of my response. The documents show a residence address of [exact home address withheld for privacy consideration - Editor] Whitcomb Rd, Lacey Township. The document also shows a mailing address for Councilman Mailot of [exact P.O. Box number withheld for privacy consideration - Editor], Ocean Gate, New Jersey. The documents indicate a change of June 25, 2013. Councilman Mailot indicates that he did not intend to or knowingly change his voter registration. He has provided me with a receipt from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission indicating that he renewed the registration of his car on July 2, 2013. That application required the address to be provided at which the car is principally located. The standard in New Jersey to determine the proper venue and district for voter registration is that which the voter is “domiciled”. Many things can determine the domicile of a person, however a common understanding and interpretation is that place where a person intends to reside. This was in fact the subject of prior voter challenges in the Borough. In this
Councilman Charles Mailot, seen here on the day he was sworn into office during the council reorganization meeting on January 1st, 2011. ERIK WEBER / OCEAN SIGNAL case Ocean Gate is where Councilman Mailot intends to return to reside after being displaced. He will take up this issue with the Board of Elections. It is unfortunate that you have chosen this route to advance your political agenda against Mr. Mailot, who has served the Borough diligently since being elected and throughout the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Mr. Mailot has no intention of resigning, and I stand by his side. If the majority of the Borough Council of
Ocean Gate declares Mr. Mailot’s office vacant pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:16-3(c), the Governing Body will follow the applicable statutes to fill a vacancy. BREAKING NEWS: Minutes before deadline on this edition, the Ocean Signal has learned that Mr. Mailot has resigned his office effective 11:59 pm on September 11th, 2013. Further details will be published in our next edition.
OGVFC 100th Anniversary Celebration
Members of the Ocean Gate Volunteer Fire Company celebrated their 100th year of service at Yolanda’s River House on August 17th with a pig roast, music by The Teachers [below: Ocean Gate School Superintendent Frank Vanalesti performs on guitar and voclas], games and beverages enjoyed by all. ERIK WEBER / OCEAN SIGNAL
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Ocean Gate Summer 1933 A review of the news, events and culture of summer eighty years ago compiled from materials available in the Wheeler Room of the Toms River Library. The new bakery of Parkes and Moreney opened in mid-June... the New Jersey Courier published a recollection of when in the early years of the 20th century “the first boardwalk wound its way along the riverfront from the west line to east of Angelsea Avenue and when Ocean Gate only had one small pier which extended out from Asbury Avenue. When we had no good gravel and oiled roads, no gas in town nor electric and to see what has developed in a few years and what is here today in the line of improvements.”... James Melville began goods deliveries from all leading Philadelphia department stores, coming into the borough on Tuesdays and Fridays on the Pennsylvania Railroad and maintaining a branch office here... Ocean Gate Avenue had the corner of each avenue curb painted with the name of the street by Borough Clerk John Adrian... county surveyors were in town studying Arverne Avenue here, which was expected to connect with the state highway and make a new entrance to town that would continue to Barnegat Pier [the train
depot at the foot of the rail bridge that spanned the bay from Good Luck Point in Berkeley Township to Seaside Park and today is the site of the Water’s Edge restaurant and Tiki Bar. Also for reference here, Ocean Gate Drive did not exist until the 1940s]... a borough-wide cleanup week occurred from July 3rd to 8th, with the health committee requesting resident remove accumulated and discarded material for pickup. Starting July 1st, street collections were made daily until September... the fire alarm signal hoop at Ocean Gate and Chelsea avenues was replaced and painted... the fire company removed an item used as a boat mooring that had been cutting swimmers east of the first pier, which was found to be an engine block... Ocean Gate Postmaster Page solicited bids for those interested in carrying the mail from the train station to the post office... firemen volunteered to operate the hand signal at the intersection of Bayview and Wildwood avenues to help alleviate traffic in the summer months during which time Bayview operated as an eastbound-only street and Lakewood Avenue a westbound-only... Samuel Yanowitz, owner of the Ocean Gate Inn, applied to the borough for a permit to sell beer...
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The Ocean Gate Civic Club once again fundraised to sponsor Ocean Gate’s annual Movie on the Beach on August 24th, with popcorn, Italian ices and other refreshments provided by that club and the Ocean Gate Veteran’s Association. The movie was Chasing Mavericks (2012), a film starring Gerard Butler and Jonny Weston about the life of surfer Jay Moriarity. ERIK WEBER / OCEAN SIGNAL
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
BEACHWOOD
Fire Companies Drill at Int. South
Clerk Bette Mastropasqua Honored for 32 Years Service by Erik Weber BEACHWOOD - With a pomp and circumstance that has become a particular part of Beachwood’s culture over the past three decades, officials, residents and associates of Elizabeth “Bette” Mastropasqua gathered here on August 21st to pay tribute to the woman who in that time period became, among many other titles, its wizard behind the curtain. Entering behind a pair of bagpipers from the Ocean County Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, an organization that for years at the request of Ms. Mastropasqua provided the opening soundtrack to reorganization meetings of the governing body each January, and followed by the singing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” by Beachwood vocal prodigy Courtney Zahn, who has sung at memorials and ceremonies since she was a young child at the request of Ms. Mastropasqua, those present gave the long-serving clerk a standing ovation for her years of dedication to the “pearl in the bed of the Toms River,” as the town’s motto states. Prior to the start of the regular ceremony, Ms. Zahn also sang “On My Own” from Les Miserables, a play she performs in, and a modified version of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” changing the lyrics to “your way” to reflect the dedicated yet strong show of force Ms. Mastropasqua often presented in her role over the years.
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“Anybody that knows Bette knows that she usually does it her way,” joked Mayor Ron Roma, causing those present in the room to erupt with laughter. Those present, noted the mayor, included past council members Thomas Schiffermiller, Bob Klump and Patty Moran; past treasurer Christine Dehnz, former Toms River Clerk Manny Hirshblond and his wife, Janet, along with numerous other clerks from the state clerks’ association; South Toms River Clerk Elizabeth “Betty” Silvestri, who was due to officially retire from serving her borough for many years on the same day as Ms. Mastropasqua, August 31st, Island Heights Clerk Ellie Rogalski and many others. Prior to reading two proclamations honoring Ms. Mastropasqua from the county freeholders and state legislature, Ms. Silvestri presented her with a bouquet of flowers from her and Mrs. Rogalski, and Mayor Roma said the governing body had wanted to write a proclamation of their own but couldn’t have asked the
retiring clerk to write her own, so they instead made August 21st, 2013 officially “Bette’s Night.” As Ms. Mastropasqua stood at the front of the crowded room with Mayor Roma, the proclamations detailed parts of her life and service, noting that she was appointed to the role on January 31st, 1981, served for 32 years under six mayors, has been married to her husband, Vito, for over 50 years, with whom she has four children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Both proclamations noted her becoming Clerk of the Year in 2003 and working with the Municipal Clerks Association for many years. Ms. Mastropasqua was then given the floor to make comments. “This has been my second home, it’s been 32 years of my life, more than half my marriage and almost half my entire life,” she said, becoming visibly emotional. “I can’t think of anything else I would have done that would have given me the feeling I have now.” “I love this town, I love everybody who I come in contact with, and I’ve made the best friends in the world thank you,” she added. Those present gave her a second standing ovation, after which Mayor Roma allowed anybody present to tell the exiting clerk how they felt about their time working together with the borough in various functions. (Continued on page 25)
Beachwood, Pine Beach, Bayville and Lanoka Harbor volunteer fire companies held a drill along the four sides and top of Toms River Intermediate South in Beachwood just days before classes were back in session.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
(Continued from page 24) Beachwood Volunteer Fire Company Assistant Chief William Hopson stated that it had been “an absolute pleasure and an absolute terror to deal with you,” rocking the room with further laughter. “It’s amazing to realize the borough clerk knows that much about the fire department, but also the fire department has been better because of you,” he continued. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Anchor Avenue resident and local developer David Lipton, whose alternating clashes and contributions with the borough over the years are widely known, said that “I’ve been around long enough to have
time working together, often marked with humor. “My memory of Bette goes back to 1983, and I remember when I was sworn in and it was good for Bette that there was a woman up there so we could try to keep these men in control a little bit,” said Mrs. Moran. “It didn’t work that well, but we had a lot of fun [and] played joked behind their backs at least.” “I remember in particular the whole yellow ribbon thing we did back in the Gulf War [in the early 1990s],” she continued, referring to when she and Ms. Mastropasqua were part of an effort to go around town and tie yellow ribbons to trees to show their support of the troops, a popular national
seen Bette at all these meetings over 25 years, and she’s very proficient.” “She’s trained all you new mayors who knew nothing when they came into office,” he continued, as those present laughed, “and she’s quite an experienced woman with terrific family values - I always had fun with Bette and I’m glad that before Bette retired that she just said she loves me.” More laughter. “You know what, Mr. Lipton, we may not have started out on the best of terms, but we’ve come to respect each other for the things we’re able to do,” replied Ms. Mastropasqua. “I totally agree, you’re a good girl,” said Mr. Lipton. Many other friends and associates from within the borough offices and public works departments thanked her for her service and told small remembrances of their
trend at the time. The former councilwoman also recalled when they plus former Beachwood Police Chief John Moody helped design the new municipal complex on Pinewald Road to improve borough services away from the two-story concrete block combination firehouse and borough hall that stood next to the Beachwood Circle downtown until being sold and demolished in the late 1990s to make way for a drivethrough chain convenience store. “I want to thank you for your service to this community,” chimed in current Chief Robert L. Tapp, who Mr. Mastropasqua remembered swearing in to his first patrolman role “when he was a baby.” “You always had the best interest of Beachwood at heart in everything that you did,” he continued. “You’ve always been there for our depart-
ment, our officers - any borough employee that needed your help, you were there to help them.” Kevin Williams, a Pacific Avenue resident and longtime radio personality with WOBM, said that “we go back a long time, Mama Mashedpotato [that’s] inside, not too many know that - actually, I thought you were sworn in when [Franklin Delano Roosevelt] was president.” Laughter again rang through the room. “Public servant is probably a word that we throw out to describe way too many people, but I can’t imagine there was anyone that cared more about the town than you did,” he said. “I think that’s the greatest quality of your work here for 32 years, that you cared about this town so much, you loved this town so much and even though you probably were in the position that you didn’t always make the popular decision with certain people, everything I know you did, you did for the love of Beachwood and I think that’s an incredible quality.” Mr. Schiffermiller stated that “I had the pleasure of being a member of the governing body 32 years ago that appointed Bette Mastropasqua, and Bette’s been more than responsible for taking the Borough of Beachwood on a ride to the top and kept us there.” William T. Hiering, Jr., who has been the borough attorney for several decades, said that she is “like the chief, cook and bottle washer of Beachwood - you get the whole package, you really go the extra step and it’s great for Beachwood.” “Competing with another guy is easy,” joked Ms. Mastropasqua’s husband, Vito. “The borough is tough.” More laughter. Mayor Roma then stated that he saved the council comments for last because they “rely on Bette probably more than anybody can realize, everything that everyone said is 100 percent true.” He added that Ms. Mastropasqua “bleeds for the borough” and added that he couldn’t say enough good things about her going back to when he first became involved in the borough, along with his wife, Geralynn, with the Beachwood Municipal Alliance and right up to his current position as mayor, including last October when Hurricane Sandy struck and the borough suddenly found itself with Toms River Intermediate South - located across from borough hall - turned into a care shelter for those most affected by its wrath. “Bette was right there from the time it started, on the phone with a person who had some power issues, to the
following morning when daybreak came and I was here at borough hall, and Bette was here, and without wavering Bette went across the street with me, my wife and a few other people - everybody from council - at that shelter all day long,” he recalled, adding that he stayed late into the night and eventually went home, leaving her there and when he returned the next morning, she was there before him. “She was there the whole time - she truly does bleed for this town and she is going to be sorely missed.” “When I first started, I remember Patty Moran said, ‘Nobody is going to take you by the hand and show you what to do,’ but [she is] one individual who does take you by the hand without you even knowing it - and it’s not twisted behind your back all the time - and shows you the right thing and the wrong thing,” said Councilman Greg Feeney. “A lot of times you have a great idea and think something will work, but when I hear, ‘Mister Feeney,’ I know Bette’s correct.” Councilmen Ed Zakar and Tom Miserindino echoed their associates comments, thanking her and restating her influence over their work for the borough. Mr. LaCrosse, who has served as councilman here for most of three decades, said that for years he always “had the greatest respect for Mayor Bill Hornidge [a long-serving mayor for whom borough hall was dedicated in the 1990s and whom Ms. Mastropasqua often recalls fondly], but tonight it dawned on me - I always thought Bill Hornidge was the most effective and communicative diplomat that I had ever known personally,
but now I realize it was a collaboration between these two right here. They were a team.” “I know it’s not much, but all the nice accolades don’t mean anything,” interjected Ms. Mastropasqua. “Everything I learned, everything I do, I learned from this lady over here” - she pointed to her 92-year-old mother, present with the rest of her family - “she taught me how to be a good person, she taught me how to respect people and she taught me that a job well done is its’ reward.” Mayor Roma and the council members then went into a side room and came out bearing the large, blue Beachwood Citizen of the Year board bearing Ms. Mastropasqua’s name, the sight of which immediately brought tears to her eyes and caused her to yell, “Oh my God, no!” Those present gave a third standing ovation to her. “Because everyone loves you so much, you have done so much for this borough, we know you as the grandmother of the borough,” said Councilwoman Beverly Clayton, who was tearing up herself. “You have taken care of us and any project we ever did - little kids coming in here for tours; I remember your two grandchildren around the bonfire and you telling Halloween stories - Bette was always there in full getup and costume, that’s how Betsy Ross [at the annual Memorial Day ceremony] came about, too.” “Bette has always been there for this town and she loves it with all her heart and I can’t think of anyone who deserves more being our honorary Beachwood Citizen of the Year,” continued the councilwoman. “She is truly our pearl of the river.”
Beachwood, Summer 1933 A review of the news, events and culture of summer eighty years ago compiled from materials available in the Wheeler Room of the Toms River Library. Many bungalow owners from around the region who were summer residents visited their properties for short or long vacation stays, including Mr. and Mrs. Herman Weincke and children of Flushing, New York, who spent a mid-June week at their home on Forepeak Avenue... Mayor and Mrs. Joseph W. Rowe returned from a honeymoon trip to Washington, D.C.... many of the public areas transformed with attractive garden plots were due to the volunteer work of Mr. Hosp... residents Gilbert Nuse and Warren Levett formed the Moth Boat Works to build and sell mothstyle sailboats here... Joseph Jerue, builder, World War I veteran, future World War II veteran and, later, borough mayor, completed construction of a home opposite his on Ship Avenue... the Beachwood Property Owners Association sponsored another movie at the clubhouse on the Windy Cove bluff on July 7th. The following evening was a dance with live orchestra in the nearby auditorium building... Burnett’s grocery store on Beachwood Boulevard - later Disbrow’s and later still Clancy’s Video but today empty and for sale - went under new management... H.E. Reice, secretary and publicity director for the new Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, took up residence in a bungalow here... a number of horseshoe crabs were found by swimmers along the beachfront here... former neighbors and friends of William Mill Butler, former Bayside Avenue resident and Beachwood’s first historian, often received letters from him sent from the Ward Homestead retirement home in Maplewood...
Golf Outing to Benefit Boro Teen Submitted by Chris Lundy. BEACHWOOD - A fundraiser golf outing will be held on Monday, September 23rd at the Ocean Acres Country Club in Manahawkin to aid Brandon Blair, a 17-year-old resident here who was born with a rare genetic disorder that has no name or supporting group but severely limits his ability to function to where he requires round-the-clock care. This year’s outing is sponsored by Forked River Power, which operates behind the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generation Station in Lacey Township converting natural gas to electricity. To help with Brandon’s nearly constant medical is-
sues, a group of family and friends hold golf outings, and every year petition local businesses to become sponsors. “Brandon will be 17 in September and he continues to have all the same struggles,” said his mother, Marie Blair. “He requires 24-hour care. This money will go directly for caregivers, medicine, diapers and other needs.” There are constant needs, and some of them are unforeseen, she said. Just a few weeks ago, there was a $400 bill for new eyeglasses. Then, they broke. “He does remain happy and content, and excited at starting at a new school,” she said. Brandon attends Children’s Center of Monmouth County. “It’s the
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fund that keeps him a happy and content child.” The fund has been raising money for 15 years. “We never expected there to be a second fundraiser because we didn’t expect him to be here,” she said. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. They begin at $50, and go all the way up to $2,000. All money given goes to Brandon. Contact the fund for the tax ID number. New golfers are also welcome. It costs $125 to play, and comes with lunch and dinner. Checks are made payable to the Brandon Blair Trust, PO Box 172, Brick, NJ 08723. Lunch is at 11 a.m. and tee time is 1 p.m. For more information, call Harry Cupolo at (732) 606-4032.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
OCEAN COUNTY
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Home Invaders Attack Homeowners with Machete JACKSON-The Jackson Police Department is investigating a report of a Home Invasion involving a Burglary, Robbery and Aggravated Assault that was made to the agency this afternoon. It was reported that during the late evening of Sunday, September 8, 2013 between 10:00 pm and 2:30 am on Monday, several suspects made entry to a residence located on Monmouth Road (Rt. 537) near the employee’s entrance to Six Flags Great Adventure. The suspects forced entry through a rear door of the residence and dragged the victims out of bed, onto the floor. The suspects were armed with a machete, baseball bat and a hammer and during the incident, punched and kicked
the victims and also cut one of them with the machete. The suspects left the residence after taking approximately $500.00 in cash and audio equipment from the victims. There were reportedly multiple suspects involved in this incident but at this time only one was able to be described as a black male, unknown build or height, with long dark hair, possibly dreadlocks. The possible vehicle used by the suspects was described as an older model dark blue Jeep Cherokee. Anyone who may have witnessed anything or has information on this incident is asked to contact Jackson Police Detective John Rodriguez at 732-9281111.
Naked Man Found Sleeping in Car Wakes to Assault Cops
TOMS RIVER-The Toms River Police announced the arrest of Michael Harris, age 32, of Toms River for assaulting a police officer and other charges. On September 1st at approximately 8 am, officers were requested to a Coolidge Ave address on the report of a naked male, sleeping in a vehicle belonging to the caller. The caller did not know the identity of the male. Upon arriving, Officers Richard Karkovice and Samantha Sutter observed the male subject, later identified as Michael Harris, sleeping naked in the passenger seat of the vehicle. Officer Karkovice repeatedly attempt-
ed to awake Harris. Harris eventually awoke and upon seeing the officers told the officers to leave him alone. Officer Karkovice advised Harris that this was not his car and ordered him to exit the vehicle. At this time, Harris attacked Officer Karkovice, repeatedly striking and kicking him. Harris was removed from the vehicle by both officers and quickly subdued. Harris continued to violently resist after being handcuffed by thrashing about and attempting to kick the officers. Harris was placed in the rear of a police vehicle where he continued to act violently by kicking the windows. Harris was then transported to Police Headquarters’ where he was charged with Criminal Trespass, Disorderly Conduct, Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and Resisting Arrest. Officer Karkovice received minor injuries to his arms and hands. He was treated at Community Medical Center and subsequently released. Harris was lodged in the Ocean County Jail on $5000 bail.
Armed Robbery at Exxon Gas Station
Car Drives Through Chinese Restaurant JACKSON-Around 1pm on Monday, Jackson Police and Jackson firefighters responded to the Shing Loon restaurant where a car drove through front window of the Manhattan Street Plaza at the intersection of Bennetts Mills Road and Manhattan Street.
TOMS RIVER-On August 31, 2013 at approximately 0115 in the morning, the Toms River Police responded to 199 Route 70, the Exxon gas station, in reference to an armed robbery that had just occurred. The unknown assailant entered the store portion of the station brandishing a handgun and demanded cash from the clerk. The clerk complied and the assailant left without further incident. The assailant was last seen exiting the store and heading west on foot. The assailant is described as a white male who is approximately six foot tall. He was last seen wearing a black ball cap with a white front panel that contained a dark colored logo. He also had on a dark colored long sleeve shirt with
white lettering on the front, dark colored pants and dark colored footwear. A dark colored bandana covered his face. Initial responding officers set up a perimeter and requested the services of the departments K-9 unit. K-9 Officer Kyle Martucci and his partner, Cyrus and K-9 Officer Buhowski and his partner Gunnar searched the area and tracked to an undisclosed location. Ptl. Adam Worth handled the initial investigation. If anybody has information that can assist with this investigation or any other active Toms River Police investigation please contact Detective Louis Santora at 732-349-0150 extension 1276
Neighborly Assistance Drunk Driver Flips Car; Flees Scene; Collapses LAKEWOOD-A drunk driver was seriously injured after crashing into two vehicles and then overturned his own, officials say. Shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday, the driver crashed into two vehicles parked on South Clover Street, and then flipped over into the nearby woods. Severely injured, the driver reportedly climbed from the wrecked vehicle and attempted
to flee the scene but collapsed about 100 feet away. He was found semi-conscious by First Responders, officials say. The patient was transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center. Lakewood Traffic & Safety division is investigating the crash. South Clover Street was shut between Routee 88 and Cedarbridge Avenue for the investigation. Photo by the Lakewood Scoop.
SOUTH TOMS RIVER-Shortly after 8 am on September 1st, Manitou Park and Pinewald volunteer fire companies responded to a structure fire on Applegate Avenue here. Upon arrival, firefighters had found that the fire, a deck fire, had been put out by the home owner’s neighbor, Manitou Park Firefighter Matt Miller with a garden hose.
Motorist Crashes into Pole Left by Hit & Run Vehicle JACKSON-Early Saturday morning, Jackson Police reported a vehicle had struck a utility pole on Bowman Road near the intersection of East Veterans Highway. The driver of that accident fled the scene, leaving the damage pole hanging partially over the roadway. Before Jackson Police could arrive to close the road, another vehicle struck the pole which obstructed the roadway. Jackson Police were able to secure the scene and close the road while JCP&L replace the pole. Jackson Police were unable to locate the initial driver of the hit and run accident. No injuries were reported.
Drug Distribution Operation Shut Down in Toms River TOMS RIVERDuring the early morning hours of September 5, 2013 Detectives from the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group Northern Enforcement Unit along with members of the Toms River Police Department obtained and executed a search warrant for a residence located 1012 Bel Aire Court, Toms River NJ. Detectives also conducted a search of a 2001 Black Volvo that was identified during the investigation as being utilized to facilitate this drug distribution network. As a result of the investigation as well as the execution of the search warrant police seized approximately 1000 individual dosage units of Heroin along with assorted paraphernalia used during the manufacturing, production and distribution of Heroin. Police seized hundreds of new wax folds, used to package Heroin, assorted sifters, scales, stamps and electric grinders and mixers. The seized Heroin has an approximate street value of $6000. Police also seized approximately $2100 in cash. The 2001 Volvo was also seized pending forfeiture proceedings. The following individuals were arrested and charged: Timothy Perry A.K.A. “Showtime” age 33 of 704 Knowllwood Drive, Middletown NJ. Mr. Perry was charged Possession of Heroin, Possession of Heroin over one half ounce with intent to distribute, Maintaining a CDS (Heroin) Manufacturing Facility and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The Honorable Superior Court Judge James Blaney JSC set bail on Mr. Perry at $500,000 Cash.
Kahdeem J. Robinson age 23 of 1012 Bel Aire Court, Toms River NJ. Mr. Robinson was charged Possession of Heroin, Possession of Heroin over one half ounce with intent to distribute, Maintaining a CDS (Heroin) Manufacturing Facility and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The Honorable Superior Court Judge James Blaney JSC set bail on Mr. Robinson at $250,000 no ten percent. Dale J. Dabney age 24 of 424 Prospect Street, Apartment 7, Lakewood NJ. Mr. Dabney was charged Possession of Heroin, Possession of Heroin over one half ounce with intent to distribute, Maintaining a CDS (Heroin) Manufacturing Facility and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The Honorable Superior Court Judge James Blaney JSC set bail on Mr. Robinson at $50,000 with the ten percent option. Crystal Kistner-Killion age 23 of 1012 Bel Aire Court, Toms River NJ. Ms. Kastner-Killion was charged Possession of Heroin, Possession of Heroin over one half ounce with intent to distribute, Maintaining a CDS (Heroin) Manufacturing Facility and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The Honorable Superior Court Judge James Blaney JSC set bail on Mr. Robinson at $10,000 with the ten percent option. Assisting in the investigation as well as the execution of the search warrants were members of the Toms River Police Department ESU and the Toms River Police K-9 Unit.
Fire at McDaniel’s Farm SOUTH TOMS RIVER-At approximately 3:30 pm on Wednesday, Sept. 3rd, a brush fire was reported at the location of the McDaniels farm here. A small brush fire, approximately 1/4 acre in size was accidentally ignited while workers were clearing the bog to harvest cranberries for next fall, according to the Manitou Park Fire Company. Manitou Park Fire Company, Pinewald Fire Company and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service responded. No injuries were reported.
BRICK-A 35 year old Brick man was arrested after a disturbance stemming from urine and feces odors from his apartment. On during the evening hours of September 1st, 2013, the Brick Township Police Department responded to the apartment of John Jandola, 35 years old from Finchley Dr Brick., for a welfare check. The reason for the check was the foul odor of urine and feces emanating from the apartment. On their arrival, Officers spoke with Jandola and he agreed to clean up the apartment. The feces and urine odor was caused by Jandola’s dog. In the afternoon hours on Monday, Officers Brian Williams and Eric Olsen responded to Finchley Dr. for a threat report. The
original complainant began knocking on Jandola’s front door because the odor was still present and had not been cleaned up. Jandola answered the door and exited the apartment, holding a Samurai Sword. The victim reported that Jandola held the sword to their throat, threatening them. Jandola then pushed the victim causing minor abrasions. As a result of the investigation, a samurai type sword was recovered and Jandola was arrested by Officer Brian Williams. Jandola was charged with Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Aggravated Assault, Terroristic Threats, and Simple Assault. Bail was set at $30,000 by Municipal Court Judge Damian Murray.
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BUSINESS Iconic Jersey Shore Landmark Restaurant Faces Possible Closure Stewart’s Root Beer Owners Say 2013 Could Be Last Season by Samantha Arcieri & Phil Stilton TOMS RIVER-For many residents of the Jersey Shore, summer doesn’t begin until warm weather heats up the beach, local streets fill with out-oftowners and the ice cream man begins to roll down the street. For Matthew Sheridan, summer begins the minute the first hungry patron of the season steps foot – or wheels – into the parking lot of Stewarts Root Beer on Rt. 37 in Toms River. Sheridan has spent the last five summers working at Stewarts and loves the fact that he gets to work outside during the months that he isn’t in school. “You make good money serving, the guys here are great and it is just a fun
summer job,” Sheridan said. This year marks the 46th season that Toni Lynn Kartikis–Barnes and her sister, Carole Ann Kartikis, along with their mother, have coowned and worked at Stewarts on 37. It could also be the last as the family is entertaining an offer to sell the property after this season, according to the younger Kartikis. She said one of the main reasons her Stewarts has remained so successful for the past four decades is because her team of workers pride themselves in having extremely high and standards of food quality. She added that during a typical day in the summer, the restaurant serves between 400 and 500 cars – and everyone pitches in to make sure customers are satisfied with their meals. “I dress all of the food that comes out of the kitchen myself. We’re hands on owners,” Kartikis–Barnes said, adding that she also makes sure the drive-in restaurant maintains a fam-
ily atmosphere. “Parents feel like they can bring their kids here and nobody is going to have a mouth,” she said. “And if they do we politely shut them up really quick.” Kartikis–Barnes said it is easy to project a family atmosphere to customers because she works with relatives on a daily basis. She added that her grandfather even owned the old Stewarts – the one that is now a jug handle - on west 37 since the mid 60’s. She said the nepotism that exists within her business often helps things run smoother. “There are battles that go on here and there, but everyone I feel is trying to do their best for each other as a team,” she said. “There are a lot of other places to eat in town and we appreciate the repeat business.” Kartikis–Barnes said the most ‘difficult’ preparation she has to do in the off season is finding enough workers to make sure customers aren’t waiting too long to get their food.
Governor Christie Visits Ocean County for Labor Day Boost
The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
She said that after 45 years of preparing the same menu, the amount of food she needs to order doesn’t really come as a surprise. “You come here and it is nostalgic…and we try and keep it that way,” she said. “Sometimes we add things to the menu here and there, but not much. That way we can keep (food service) fast.” Kartikis–Barnes said her favorite part about the summer is knowing that her restaurant is contributing to the history of the town and to people’s vacations. She said that it makes her proud to see generations of families pull into the parking lot to order the same classic meals – like root beer and chili dogs- that people have been enjoying for decades. Despite the consistent menu, Kartikis–Barnes said the one thing that changes each year is the exact date as to when Stewarts will open. But Kartikis said this week it could all be coming to an end after this season. As far as the deal goes, she said, “It’s a definite maybe right now, but we want people to still come out and
enjoy the restaurant this fall. We’ll be open until the weather turns.” Kartikis added that restaurant will be open daily until the weather is bad. Last year, Hurricane Sandy shortened their season, but this year, until it gets too cold, they’ll be offering the same service they have for the past 46 years. “Who knows we might be back next year,” she added. “We’ve been in this position before and things fell through.”
Photos: Top Left: Stewart’s is hoping for a September to remember. Above: Erin and Jack Stilton of Jackson Township enjoy lunch at Stewart’s Root Beer prior to crabbing trip to Seaside Park in September. Below: Patrons enjoy the open air picnic table porch of the longtime township eatery Photos by Phil Stilton Cameron Wuesthoff / the Ocean Signal.
Where Banner Planes Come From: A Sneak Peek at Next Issue
Now that summer is over, we’re going to start our series of ‘Cabin Fever’ features, stories we’ve collected over the summer to keep the shore vibes going all year long. Next week, we start with a behind the scenes story about banner advertising planes. Where do they come from? How do they attach the banners? Who flies the planes? Pictured above, a worker rolls a banner after a drop.
Photo by Cameron Wuesthoff
Prior to Labor Day, Governor Christie made a series of “Jersey Shore Tour” visits to help boost tourism here at the shore. Locally, he visited Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant, but also made stops in Wildwood, Cape May and other venues to continue his “Stronger than the Storm” promotional efforts. In this photo, he poses with boardwalk patrons on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk. Read the Ocean Signal online: www.oceancountysignal.com
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Football Season Kicks Off at the Jersey Shore AYF
Touchdown Maker at the Summer Classic JACKSON-Stephen Baker, New York Giants running back from 1987 to 1992 was on hand at the Jackson Soccer Club’s Summer Classic Tournament, pictured here with the Jackson Tsunami.
Youth Football Season in Full Motion
Jaguars Cheer to Support Pediatric Cancer
September at the Shore means American Youth Football action every weekend across Ocean County. Now entering its third season since separating a decades long relationship with Pop Warner, the Jersey Shore AYF season is in full swing. Locally, teams
competing are the Jackson Jaguars, Toms River Indians, Toms River Angels, Toms River Raiders, Brick Dragons, Brick Mustangs and the Manchester Hawks. The Ocean Signal will be the premier source for news, photos and scores for these teams all season long.
Photos: Top: Toms River Indians run the ball against Brick Mustangs last weekend in Brick. Top Right: Brick Mustang Mighty Mite runs the ball long against Toms River. Above: The Jackson Jaguars hosted the Toms River Angels.
JACKSON-Cheerleaders from the Jackson Jaguar Jr. Pee Wee squad put away their red, white and black uniforms and sport a gold ribbon to show their support for pediatric cancer. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The township wide effort is being led by many in the community who have been affected by childhood cancer, including Michelle Cramer, whose son Josh passed away in May of 2012. Josh was a member of the Jackson Jaguar AYF football team.
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The Outlaws returned to the Barnegat docks this summer, bringing with the the Garvey boats. This year, racing in the northern end of the Barnegat Bay was halted due to debris left by Hurricane Sandy.
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013 Sunday racing winners September 8, 2013 Did not finish/DNF Did NOT START/ DNS 350 class A 1. G-21 Indian Summer 2. G-41 Kat Scratch 3.G-00 Snoopy 4. G-091 Any Time/DNF
Outlaw Racing on the Barnegat Bay by Dave O’Hearn BARNEGAT-The Outlaws Returned for the first time in 2013 to the Barnegat Township Docks for the Great Race in Barnegat. “Hundreds of racing fans came out to support the Jersey Outlaws, Autism Awareness and the Barnegat Boy Scouts to watch some amazing Racing,” said Kathleen Halbing, of the Jersey Shore Outlaws Racing Association. “On Sunday you saw many classes of boats race, with the garvey class growing the way it is along with the Skiffs, the show is amazing.”
Looking forward, Halbing said, several of the “old boats” will be coming out on championship day in Beach Haven on the 22nd of September starting at 12:00. “It will be great to be back. we want to thank Lanoka Harbor and the Bayville Search and Rescue, and Bayville and Lanoka Harbor First Aid for being there for us,” she added. Nick Megee is now the proud owner of JS-49 said “It is so awesome to own a part of history. Mark Van Winkle was a skiff legend. I want to carry the heritage of his memory by keeping the
boat the same color number and name,” he said. “ I also want to give a big shout out to every one of you who supported me today in my first race! I honestly had the best time of my life out there and want to thank you for everything. Words can’t express how happy I am to run with you guys. This is what family about an I’m proud to be an outlaw boat racer.” The outlaw races did not lack excitement as the racing was fast and the fans rocked the docks.
350 Class B 1.G- 56 Bout Time 2. G-22 Indian Summer 3.G-43 Temper Tantrum 4 G-66 Slightly Insane 5.G-21 Bad Clam/ DNS 358 Class 1. G-53 Screamin Sue 2. G-88 Last Minute 3. G-17 Mr Twister/ DNF Skiff Class A 1. JS-04 Sental mental value 2. JS-24 The Patriot 3. JS-17 pure aggravation Skiff class B 1.JS-46 Turning Point 2.JS- 49 Holy Crap 3.JS-41 Kat Scratch 4.JS-76 ANTE UP To learn more about the Jersey Outlaws Go To http://www.jerseyoutlaws,com/ . Photography by Christopher Chlebowski www.Photosbycc.com
Strange Bedfellows at Giants Game
Jersey Coast Jaguars Win Season Opener TOMS RIVER-Last Sunday, the Jersey Coast Jaguars began their second season at Toms River High School North. The Jaguars defeated Williamson Free Trade of Media, Pennsylvania 14-0. The Jaguars are a post-graduate college level sports program based in Toms River. The program’s goal is to give former high school athletes a second chance at playing collegiate level football. The team consists of players from New York to Virginia, according to Athletic Director Monwell Brown. Photo by Doug Bostwick, SportShotsWLB.
EAST RUTHERFORDWhile Governor Chris Christie was touting New Jersey prior to last weekend’s Giants game against the Cowboys, he spent the game in the skybox of Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones’ private sky box. Christie, a long time Dallas Cowboys fan. While it didn’t sit well with some local Giants fans, former Giant Shaun O’Hara tweeted, “I think it’s total BS that @GovChristie is sitting next to Jerry Jones in his suite during a NYG game. Sellout.”
Canoe & Kayak Races on the Toms River TOMS RIVER-On Sunday, 17 canoe and kayak down river and open water races for novice to experienced paddlers were held on the Toms River. This year, a 6-mile open water class for Stand Up Paddleboards was added to the event. The event was hosted by the Jersey Paddler
and prizes provided by the Jersey Paddler and other sponsors. The down river races were held on the narrows of the upper Toms River from Riverwood Park to Huddy Park. The race course was 8.5 miles long with 85% slow moving, shallow freshwater with many turns.
OCC Women’s Basketball Team Honored for Winning “Together We R” Award The 2012-2013 Ocean County College women’s basketball team received recognition on August 26th. for winning the WBCA “Together We R” Team award. The players and their families enjoyed breakfast, watched video from the WBCA Convention, and received a full-zip fleece in honor of winning this award.
Jersey Shore AYF Week 2 Scores While the Giants play Sunday night football and the Jets won an amazing comeback with just a few seconds left in the game, the real action last weekend was on football fields around Ocean County. Here are this weekend’s Jersey Shore Youth Football League scores for week 2. Photo by Phil Stilton / the Ocean Signal 8TH GRADE UNLIMITED TOMS RIVER INDIANS – 7 BRICK DRAGONS – 12 OCEAN – 13 JACKSON – 42 HOWELL – 7 BERKELEY – 12 TOMS RIVER RAIDERS – 22 PT. PLEASANT – 6 JR. MIDGET TOMS RIVER ANGELS – 6 BRICK DRAGONS – 8 MANASQUAN – 0 BRICK MEMORIAL MUSTANGS – 6 RIVER PLAZA – 0 JACKSON – 28 TOMS RIVER INDIANS – 12 BERKELEY – 6 MANCHESTER – 19 SOUTHERN – 21
MOSA Fall Season Opens
Little Leaguers Honored
BRICK-The 2013 fall season of the Monmouth Ocean Soccer Association kicked off today at the Drum Point Sports Complex in Brick Township. Photo by Phil Stilton / the Ocean Signal.
JACKSON-Holbrook Little League Toms River Tournament champions were honored at the league’s annual fall opening day ceremony.
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PEE WEE TOMS RIVER INDIANS – 0 BRICK DRAGONS – 23 TOMS RIVER RAIDERS – 18 BRICK MUSTANGS – 0 RIVER PLAZA – 36 HOWELL 2 – 13 LACEY – 8 JACKSON 1 – 25 TOMS RIVER ANGELS – 0 JACKSON 2 – 27 HOWELL 1 – 24 BERKELEY – 6 GAME MANCHESTER – 36 SOUTHERN – 6 PINELANDS – 0 PT. PLEASANT – 30 JR. PEE WEE TOMS RIVER INDIANS – 23 BRICK DRAGONS – 20 O.T. TOMS RIVER RAIDERS – 25 BRICK MUSTANGS – 6 LACEY – 0 JACKSON 1 – 25 TOMS RIVER ANGELS – 20 JACKSON 2 – 6 MANASQUAN – 0 BERKELEY – 30 NEPTUNE – 34 BARNEGAT – 6 GAME PINELANDS – 0 PT. PLEASANT – 13 CADETS TOMS RIVER ANGELS – 0 RUMSON – 12 RIVER PLAZA – 12 HUNTERDON – 6 TOMS RIVER INDIANS – 12 BRICK DRAGONS – 25 TOMS RIVER RAIDERS – 0 BRICK MUSTANGS – 7 HOWELL 2 – 6 JACKSON – 12 MANCHESTER – 26 SOUTHERN – 0
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
Summer’s End
Photos by Cameron Wuesthoff
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
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The Ocean Signal | September 13th - 26th, 2013
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