The JACKSON Times Vol. 20 - No. 34
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Curtain Opens For Performing Arts Academy
Community News! Pages 8-11
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Dear Pharmacist Page 15
Wolfgang Puck Page 23
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
—Photos by Bob Vosseller (Above) The brand new Ocean County Vocational Technical School Performing Arts Academy within Ocean County College, Toms River opened its doors. (Right) Some of the 279 students who attend the new Ocean County Vocational Technical School Performing Arts Academy on the campus of Ocean County College enter the doors of the new facility on their first day of class on January 6. By Bob Vosseller TOMS RIVER – They arrived by bus and car and entered with excitement for their first day of class in the brand new Ocean Cou nt y Vocational Technical School Pe r for m i ng Arts Academy building.
It wasn’t just the students that were excited about the state-of-theart facility but administrators, staff, OCVTS Board of Education members and elected officials. The building is on the campus of Ocean County College in Toms Riv-
er. It provides a showcase for those seeking careers in several areas of the performing arts. It also provides college credits and a modern, safe environment that Freeholder Director Joseph Vicari proudly said equals anything available in the north-
ern part of the state. “I’ve been in education as a teacher, principal and superintendent for 40 years and this is remarkable. It is state of the art and students will feel inspired to be attending class here,” Vicari said. (OCVTS - See Page 4)
Politician Faced 3 Different Protests
By Bob Vosseller TOMS RIVER - New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney got a loud reception when he arrived at The Grove Restaurant in the Howard Johnson’s motel on the morning of January 7. It was not, however, the kind of reception he may have appreciated. Sweeney came
to the township as the scheduled guest of the Ocean County Mayors Association. T h r e e g roup s of protesters came out to voice their frustration over the issues of school funding cuts, a vaccinations bill and the continuation of a bear hunt in the state. Sweeney’s appearance was noted on the
association’s website. The association invites all 33 municipalities in Ocean County and regularly meets at The Grove restaurant on 955 Hooper Ave. Protestors began lining up in front of the restaurant/hotel around 7:30 a.m. with signs, bull horns and plenty of loud voices to chant their discontent
about a state bill that would remove religious exemptions for vaccinations for school children. Others called for restoration of school funds cut by the S-2 state school funding formula which parent groups and officials have criticized for not being transparent. The “Sweeney Showdown” as it was billed
on a Facebook event was designed to “show him that we are not going away! We will not consent!” The event was led by the group New Jersey for Medical Freedom. The vaccinations bill, S-2173/A-3818, was passed by the state Assembly last month but failed in the Senate a
January 18, 2020
Council Looks Back Before Starting 2020 By Bob Vosseller JACKSON - A new year, new leadership, a new council member and some new council committee assignments were all part of the governing body’s reorganization meeting. The session featured the swearing in of the newest council member, Martin Flemming, a member of the Jackson Republican Club and a current member of the Planning Board who will fill the one-year unexpired term of Robert Nixon who resigned late last year. Barry Calogero, who served as vice council president, stepped up to lead the council following Nixon’s resignation. He will remain as council president in 2020. “It is not often that we have a situation to have to appoint a councilman mid-term,” Calogero said. “We published the need to fill the vacancy in the papers and we had 15 applications.” Calogero said in an interview with The Jackson Times that each council member had input in the selection and that he had asked each councilman to discuss the most qualified applicant. Councilman Andrew Kern had narrowed it to nine applicants while Councilman Alex Sauickie III had narrowed it to four or five according to Calogero who added that he also narrowed down the choices to four or five. Councilman Kenneth Bressi “agreed to the final choice and seconded the nomination and we voted unanimously for Mr. Flemming who has been very active on the planning board for several years. He is active with the fire company and also was a volunteer for the EMS. He is a lifelong resident of Jackson, a businessman and has a family with five children,” Calogero said. Calogero said during the meeting, “to our newest council member, Councilman Marty Flemming thank you for stepping forward and taking on this very important position, the residents of Jackson expect and deserve 100 percent, I am sure you will not let them down.” Flemming was appointed as the Township Council’s designee on the Planning Board for 2020. He replaces Bressi who served as the council’s designee last year. Calogero said the change made sense in that Flemming has experience on the board and the council wanted
(Protests - See Page 10)
(Council - See Page 8)
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