TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 15 - No. 42
In This Week’s Edition
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Community Unites After Fatal Fire
Full Day Kindergarten Still A Priority Despite State Aid Cuts
By Bob Vosseller TOMS RIVER – Despite deep cuts in state funding that threaten the future of extracurricular activities and sports, school officials in the district said they are determined to retain its plan for early education. School administrators noted that they have no intention to backtrack on a scenario where the district would drop a full day kindergarten program. The law that started this issue is called S-2. It was sponsored by State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy. It redistricted state aid away from districts that were losing enrollment and which were considered – by the state – not to be paying their fair share of local taxes. The district stands to lose more than $90 million in aid by the end of the cuts in a few years. Senate President Sweeney had proposed a bill that would allow towns impacted by the funding formula to raise taxes more than they are normally allowed to fill this hole. This bill was vetoed by Murphy.
Community News! Pages 10-13
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Pages 18
Dear Pharmacist Pages 19
Inside The Law
─Photo courtesy Silverton Volunteer Fire Co. (Above) The fire destroyed the house and devastated a family. (Right) Sara Trahey. By Chris Lundy TOMS R I V ER – Sara Trahey touched a lot of lives at the elementary school where she worked, and many more were touched by the tragic story of her passing. A fire started in her 15th Street home on the night of Feb. 7.
Fueled by st rong winds, the fi re spread t o fou r neig hb or s’ homes as well. According to a witness, the entire sky was fi lled with smoke. One neighbor reportedly banged on the front door to wake the family up when he saw the flames.
─Photo courtesy GoFundMe “Our neighborhood is in shock,” one neighbor said on social media. “I am terribly sorry for their loss, and
I pray God comforts this family during this terrible tragedy.” Police reported that (Fire - See Page 9)
Page 21
Plan Forming For Life Support Coverage
By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – With MONOC ending Advanced Life Support Services to the area, leaders in law enforcement and emergency services met to make sure that every town is covered. MONOC’s advanced life support program will close on April 1.
Hackensack Meridian Health and RWJBarnabas Health will assume full operational a nd a d m i n ist r at ive responsibility of the program according to a letter from Jeff Behm, president and CEO of the Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corp. Advanced life support is different than basic
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life suppor t. Towns either use volunteer or police-run squads (or some combination of the two) for basic life suppor t. The towns t he n c ont r a ct w it h a paid provider like MONOC for advanced life support. By way of example, both crews might arrive at a car crash. Basic life sup-
February 15, 2020
port might be for someone who got banged up and needs to be evaluated. Advanced life support might be for someone who was thrown from the vehicle. Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy and the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management fa-
cilitated a recent meeting which included representatives from the new service providers. “With the announcement t hat MONOC would no longer be providing Advanced Life Support Services to Ocean County residents, it’s important
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(Plan - See Page 9)
(Cuts - See Page 7)
Residents Meet The Mayor
By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – Big issues – like school funding – and small issues were brought up by residents at a recent Meet the Mayor. It was part of a program that new Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill instituted to touch base with residents. The event was held at the municipal building, in the same room where they hold Township Council meetings. However, there were probably a few more residents at the Meet the Mayor than there are at a typical council meeting. They fit as many residents as they could around a long table, and a few others sat in the regular seats. It was informal, with people bringing up issues and then a dialogue opening up. (Mayor - See Page 14)
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