TIMES
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS, INC.
THE SOUTHERN OCEAN
Vol. 4 - No. 27
Inside This Week’s Edition Business Directory ........................... 16 Classifieds ........................................ 15 Community News ......................... 8-11 Dear Joel ..........................................19 Dr. Izzy’s Sound News .................... 14 Fun Page ......................................... 17 Inside The Law ................................. 17 Letters to the Editor ............................ 5 Wolfgang ......................................... 19 WWW.MICROMEDIAPUBS.COM
Your FREE Weekly Hometown Newspaper | Serving Lacey, Waretown, Barnegat, Manahawkin, LBI, Tuckerton and Little Egg
December 24, 2016
The Sounds Of Joy, Hope And Compassion Voters Approve $10M In School Improvements
By Chris Lundy STAFFORD – A referendum to make upgrades to Stafford Township’s five schools passed on December 13 by 1,227 votes to 606 votes. The improvements will mostly cover security, alarm and public address systems, doors, and infrastructure for some of the aging schools. In a letter on the district’s website, Superintendent George Chidiac said not every needed project made the list to be included in the referendum. “Our current estimate is that there would be no tax impact of this referendum on the average assessed residential property of $300,000,” he said in the letter. The state offered to cover 40 percent of the referendum’s $10.1 million cost, or $4.06 million. According to school Business Administrator (School - See Page 4)
–Photos courtesy America’s Keswick Seasonal music is scheduled to come to a grand finale at America’s Keswick with the annual New Year’s Eve Dinner Concert December 31 where noted Gospel artist Dave Boyer and his big band will perform a modern take on traditional Gospel music.
S
By Lois Rogers ince early December, area houses of worship have been welcoming one and all to concerts that sing of the holiday season. And from venerable major annual events such as the annual musical gala at The Presbyterian Church of Toms River which unites the 60-voice Sanctuary Choir December 4 and soloists with a brilliant orchestra, to the contemporary sounds of Emil and Friends December 17 at Christ Episcopal Church, Toms River, the December page of this year’s calendar was guaranteed to answer the prayers of music lovers. Ask those who share their vocal and instrumental talents during these busy weeks of preparation and those who set aside time to go and listen why these offerings are such an important part of the season and
the answers are warmly familiar. Such events, they said, bring back memories of Christmas past and hopes for Christmases to come. “They offer a sense of peace and hope,” said Mary Gualandir, a member of Toms River Presbyterian Church for 25 years who said she could not recall missing a
(Sounds - See Page 7)
W������ D������� “A������ I B������ I�”
By Chris Lundy BARNEGAT – The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10092 presented awards to local students at the most recent Barnegat Township Committee meeting.
Read The SOUTHERN OCEAN TIMES on your...
Christmas concert there. During the intermission at the Christmas Joy concert at Toms River Presbyterian, where upwards of 350 people shared “Christmas Joy” with the choir, she spoke of the comfort the music brings to the soul and the dedication the all volunteer choir
The first group was open to sixth graders. The theme of the Patriot’s Pen essay contest was “The America I Believe In.” Chidinma Mbah won third (Winners - See Page 12)
Rezoning Paves Way For Apts. At Routes 9 & 72
By Chris Lundy STAFFORD – The township rezoned a section of land at the corner of routes 72 and 9 to be used for 84 single-family apartments for low to moderate income renters. Paperwork from Township Attorney Jerry Dasti states the property will be called the Manahawkin Family Apartments. The property is a wooded area behind the Holiday Inn. It’s adjacent to stores and bus stops. It fits a lot of the criteria that the Fair Share Housing Council looks at, Stafford Business Administrator James Moran said. Every municipality in New Jersey is required to build a certain number of affordable housing units. This number is negotiated between the New Jersey Fair Share Housing Council and the town, with the Superior Court overseeing it. The number (Rezoning - See Page 4)
DESKTOP • SMARTPHONE • TABLET
Powered by issuu.com! WWW.MICROMEDIAPUBS.COM