2020-03-28 - The Howell Times

The HOWELL Times

Vol. 17 - No. 44

In This Week’s Edition

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Howell Parents And Students Adjust To Remote Learning

─Photo Provided By Lauren Canova Howell student Gianna Canova, left, joins her sisters Alexa, and Ava, in holding a poster of hope as their mom, Ardena Elementary School PTA President Lauren Canova looks on. The Canova family are among those who are adjusting to the new reality of home instruction and working from home, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Bob Vosseller HOWELL – The evening of March 19 should have been filled with some fundraising fun at the Ardena Elementary School. It would have been the night that the school PTA’s annual gift auction was to be held but it was cancelled.

The gift auction along

with a sweetheart dance and various other activities within the township school district were either cancelled or postponed due to the restrictions imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19.

This new reality that has many people working from home and has shut the doors of school build-

ings has caused a bit of an adjustment for adults, children and teens.

Ardena PTA president Lauren Canova is a working mom. Her husband is an accountant is working from home and she has three daughters who are currently learning remotely. She admits, it has been a definite change in

the normal routine for the family. As she is in touch with other PTA members and families, she is seeing how many others are coping with the situation.

“I work as a health care provider, I’m a mom and now I guess I’m a teacher.

I have two middle schoolers and an elementary fourth grader. In representing the PTA, all and all I think all the teachers across the district are doing a great job given everything we’ve been put up against in a real tight timeframe,” Canova said.

“The reality is these kids need face to face instruction and it’s a little more difficult for the working parent that is now working at home and is also now an instructor. There is a little frustration on the parent as well as the child,” she said.

“The teachers as well as the principals have been amazing. They are available from 10 to 2 with any questions. The kids can interact with them and they are trying to figure (Family - See Page 8)

Howell Officials Respond To COVID-19 Concerns

By Bob Vosseller HOWELL – Township officials have issued a statement responding to the now heightened COVID-19 protocols that were put into effect during the last two weeks.

In a joint message the gover ning body stated, “As many are well aware at this point,

New Jersey has seen a marked increase in those affected by the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

We are just as concerned as our residents and will continue to relay information as it comes available.”

In effort to further protect township residents and employees from the

spread of the coronavirus, all Howell Township public buildings have been closed to the public. Township staff will still be available by telephone and email for inquiries.

Township employees have been reporting to work but the Municipal Court was ordered closed for two weeks

by order of Judge Susan Schroeder-Clark, who has indicated that all cases will be adjourned during this time. A plan for working from home is being considered.

“We recommend that the public avail themselves of various resources through the township’s website, to avoid requiring resi-

dents to come to Town Hall to conduct business. We encourage our residents to use the dropbox located at the rear entrance of Town Hall, or visit online payments,” officials said.

“We are all in this together; the best weapon against panic is information. The Howell (Concern - See Page 9)

March 28, 2020

Monmouth County To Buy Pinnacle Tract

By Bob Vosseller HOWELL - Members of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders have moved forward with their plan to buy a large parcel of land in the township at an expected price tag of $10.8 million.

County leaders agreed to buy the 140-acre parcel which will be added to property in the Manasquan Reservoir. This land was previously considered for purchase by the township.

For more than 10 years Monmouth County Freeholders were exploring the idea of purchasing the Pinnacle Materials Inc. tract located on West Farms Road.

That idea reached fruition during a Feb. 27 Freeholders meeting. During that session the board authorized approval of a formal offer.

According to the board’s resolution, the land has a purchase price of $10.8 million and is required to undergo an environmental review as well as a title review.

The Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners recommended to the Freeholders that it purchase the property for county open space and natural resources conservation. It was also recommended for recreational and park use.

Howell Councilman John Bonevich posted on Facebook that Monmouth County voters approved additional funding for the open space and recreation fund back in Nov. 7, 2017.

Bonevich also posted that the township had purchased a number of parcels in 2019 and “will continue to purchase more in the upcoming year. I am happy to say the Monmouth County Freeholders will use part of their funding to purchase the Pinnacle property on West Farms Road for additions to the Manasquan Reservoir.”

“Open space provides us places for recreation, preserves our environment, protects us from overdevelopment and will help maintain the quality of life we are all used to,” Bonevich stated on social media.

Discussion by township officials regarding the purchase of Pinnacle property started more than a decade ago in May 2006 but (Pinnacle - See Page 4)

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SPRING LAKE – On June 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Spring Lake Historical Society will hold its 41st annual House Tour. The tour will feature some historic and some more recently built homes, St. Catharine Church and the Chateau Bed & Breakfast. The Sundae Times Ice Cream Parlor (circa 1906) is on the tour and all tour-goers will be treated to a taste of ice cream.

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after planning to purchase the property, the Howell Council reversed their decision to buy the tract and proceedings between the township and Pinnacle Materials Inc. ceased.

The tract was to be the second part of a two-part property purchase, the first being the Harms parcel which was acquired by Howell.

Both properties add up to 300 acres between the roads of West Farms and Georgia Tavern. It was believed that $18 million,

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which was appropriated, would cover the cost of both Harms and Pinnacle properties.

Harms was bought for just over $12 million which left only $6 million toward the purchase of the Pinnacle tract which officials had planned to buy through eminent domain.

The township’s chief financial officer estimated at the time that the condemnation commissioners would award Pinnacle’s owners $8.7 million but the commissioners report instead put a value to the land at $12.5 million for the property. Litigation and negotiations surrounding the tract were still taking place in 2011.

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The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 5

OPINIONS & COMMENTARY E DITORIAL Happy Birthday Ocean County It was just a month ago that residents of Ocean County quietly observed a milestone event, the 170th an n iversa r y of Ocean County!

It was noted by Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari during a few Ocean County Freeholder meetings. There were press releases sent out and articles written and the Ocean County Historical Society observed it on March 7 with the opening of a new exhibit room that had been recently renovated. If you haven’t stopped by to see the exhibits there, make it a point to visit their museum at 26 Hadley Ave. Toms River.

Feb. 15, 1850 was the official date of the anniversary of our county’s independence from Monmouth County (no offense Monmouth). There was no violence involved or any dumping of tea in the Barnegat Bay when this occurred but we established our own identity with a stroke of a pen. New Jersey Governor Daniel Haines signed the bill that created Ocean County which at the time had a population of just over 10,000. Only Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton were not part of Monmouth County.

Now Ocean County has a population of almost 600,000 and is a big destination point for retirees in the state, vacationers and young families. Every Feb. 15, Ocean County does recognize its Charter Day. According to county officials, the original charter of Ocean County was presented to the Board of Freeholders on Sept. 3, 1883 by Edwin Salter, a local historian.

Sadly, that original charter was lost but the first reproduction of it was released more than 100 years later.

It is important to look at our past and see how it all began and it is equally important to look at where we

are now. This is a census year and as such we often reflect on our population, our demographics, our resources, services, programs and much more.

I’ve always felt blessed to live in Ocean County.

Of all the counties in the Garden State I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

It has its beauty, services and most of all, its unique character.

Ocean County has a lot to be proud of. It is a very diverse county and I still recall my work day of the mid-1990s-2006 which started off on the barrier island and a half hour later I was in the rural beauty of New Egypt.

We have lakes, bays, the ocean, pinelands, trails and an abundance of parks to enjoy. The county has a modern library system with 21 locations, various hospitals if needed and many county programs that support our seniors, veterans, and decent school systems including a county college and vocational technical school system.

Our law enforcement agencies are second to none.

If you want entertainment, we have Exit 82, the Strand Theater, Surf Light Theater and many unique eateries as well. There are organizations of all kinds to bring people together and many things to do.

Our founders could not have imagined at the time we split from Monmouth County, just what we’d evolve into and the great sense of community that would be established.

So, happy birthday Ocean County! We have all year to celebrate and to reflect on all the riches we have.

Nothing is perfect but compared to all the many other counties in New Jersey, I think we have it pretty good!

Bob Vosseller Assistant Editor

Letters To The Editor COVID Not A Hoax I’ve heard some people are discounting the coronavirus as a hoax. Consider this: in the 1980s when the AIDS crisis was hitting hard, anyone walking around NYC was inundated with the same message: on t-shirts, hats, posters and stickers plastered all over: SILENCE=DEATH. Now it’s not silence, but disinformation and inaction which may equal death - for way too many vulnerable people.

We can learn from the 1918 worldwide Flu Pandemic.

Social distancing started early in St. Louis, for example, resulting in nearly half the flu deaths, compared to Philadelphia where social distancing was implemented too late.

In Italy today the percentage of those 65+ is about the same as Ocean County. (As a senior myself I find this fact truly terrifying.) In one town in northern Italy, one hospital is currently admitting 6080 new COVID-19 patients every day. Can the current healthcare system in this area handle that? Here’s a concept: let’s not test it out.

Currently we don’t have widespread access to tests or adequate masks. The only tool we have to avoid the nightmare currently unfolding in Italy is social distancing.

We can each do our part.

This isn’t 1918. Most of us have a wealth of technology at our disposal to creatively keep distance, and also to

Letters The Editor remotely ‘reach out’ toTo older what he says. That wording is government; they just wanted neighbors or those around us less fortunate.

The tragic alternative could, in the coming weeks and months, make songwriter Carol King’s lyrics all too true, “on the whole it was a very good year for the undertaker.”

Pam Quatse Manchester

One Nation, Under God The March 7 issue carried another of (letter writer’s name removed) sporadic anti-God, anti-religion polemics (“Keep Religion Out Of Government”). The main contention of this one is that the Founding Fathers distinctly intended the Constitution to be a purely secular document, deliberately eliminating any mention of God in it.

Before refuting that notion, let’s first point out that the main prefatory statement is not only wrong but also duplicitous. For one thing, his claim that “In 1787, our founders retired gods and kings from government” by declaring that “all governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed” is strictly incorrect. That wording appears in 1776’s Declaration of Independence, not the 1787 Constitution.

For another, he deliberately omits from the sentence containing that quotation wording that completely denies

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The Howell Times welcomes all points of view for publication and provides this page as an open forum for residents to express themselves regarding politics, government, current events and local concerns.

All letters are printed as space allows unless deemed offensive by the editorial staff, and provided they are signed and include address & phone number for veri�ication. Letters may not be printed if we cannot verify them. Names will not be withheld from publication. While most letters are printed as submitted, we reserve the right to edit or

reject letters.

The weekly deadline is 5 p.m.

Thursday. Mail typed letters to: PO Box 521, Lakehurst, NJ 08733, fax 732-657-7388 or e-mail news@jerseyshoreonline.com. Letters may be limited to one per month per writer at the editor’s discretion.

The opinions expressed in the Letters To The Editor section do not necessarily re�lect those of the staff, management or sponsors of Micromedia Publications/ Jersey Shore Online. Letters to the Editor are the OPINION of the writer and the content is not checked for accuracy.

this: “that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” I guess that “Creator” business just didn’t suit his argument.

But the truly major difficulty with the writer’s insistence that the Founders intended to enshrine a “principle of state/ church separation” is this: the original 1787 version of the Constitution would not have been ratified unless it included the first group of amendments to that document. Foremost among those amendments was the one that states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Notice that it says that is “Congress,” not the states, that shall make no law about an establishment of religion.

The reason that the amendment is worded that way is that in 1789, when the Constitution was ratified after the amendments had been added, some of the states did have established religions, and there was no dispute about their right to have them.

In fact, the amendments were added to the original Constitution specifically to prevent the federal government from messing with the rights of the individual states.

Here is the exact wording from the Preamble to the first amendments: “The Convention of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added...”

When you take those words in consideration along with the wording of the tenth of those amendments intending to restrict the federal government, which reads “Those powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people,” it is clear that the people didn’t want to establish an areligious

to make sure that it would be the states, not the feds, to do any establishing that would be done.

So, I ask the letter writer to go happily along in his own godless religion but to stop trying to convince others that it is called for in the Constitution.

Neal Pronek Farmingdale

Andy Kim Offers Opioid Solutions Congressman Andy Kim’s launch of his OPEN Agenda, aimed at bringing awareness and solutions to the opioid crisis, shows his commitment to his constituents in NJ’s 3rd Congressional District. Here in Ocean County, it is no secret that we are one of the hardest hit areas across the country when it comes struggling with this epidemic.

Clearly, Congressman Kim listened at his town hall addressing this, which he held in Toms River in 2019.

As a millennial, I’ve seen colleagues, acquaintances, family, and former classmates all touched by this devastation. Young people and their families are suffering, and treatment can be out of reach for many middle-income residents, something that Tom MacArthur did not have sympathy for.

MacArthur and his friends in private insurance could certainly afford the treatments that many struggling require; Congressman Kim knows that access to medical assistance for addiction is desperately needed to truly tackle this problem and save the lives of young people.

By demanding FDA accountability on medications and awareness of the danger of synthetic opioids, Kim is suggesting an approach that also helps prevent usage before addiction can start. It’s about time we had a representative who addresses this head on.

Devon Mazza Toms River

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Page 6, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

SPOTLIGHT ON GOVERNMENT Correspondence & Commentary From Your Local, County, State & Federal Officials

Testing Labs Must Reveal Positive COVID Numbers To State

TRENTON – In a letter to commercial laboratory operators, Jared M. Maples, Director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and Chair of the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force directed the reporting of all COVID-19 test results to the Department of Health (DOH). As testing expands throughout the State of New Jersey, it is vital that the State has access to the most accurate and up-to-date COVID-19 test results.

“New Jerseyans deserve to have critical public health information and a high level of transparency as we fight the COVID-19 pandemic together,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “We are committed to working with our private sector partners to save lives and to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but in order to do so, we must have access to all test results, including negative results. I am confident that our in-state commercial labs will do the right thing and help us keep the public informed.”

“Obtaining this information from New Jersey’s commercial labs will sharpen our risk mitigation efforts and strengthen our resilience as a state. As we continue to address the challenge of COVID-19, we will utilize every tool in our power to flatten the curve and ultimately beat this virus,” said Director Maples.

“This data will provide valuable insight

on how many New Jerseyans are being tested overall and the percentage of negative test results in our state,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “Commercial laboratories operate on much larger scale than the State lab and we are grateful for their partnership as we respond to COVID-19.”

The Domestic Security Preparedness Act, signed into law on October 4, 2001 by Governor Donald DiFrancesco, authorizes the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force to compel the production of information necessary to perform its duties, including the assessment of risks to the delivery and availability of essential health care services.

Under the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force’s directive, commercial laboratories operating in New Jersey must report all COVID-19 test results to the New Jersey Department of Health, effective on Monday, March 23rd, 2020, including retroactive results of all tests performed prior to this date. Results must be reported daily no later than 8 p.m. daily.

Information that is confidential in nature, including proprietary information but excluding the total number of tests and associated results, will not be publicly disclosed by the State unless directly relating to the security, public safety, or well-being of the people of New Jersey.

BlueClaws Close First Energy Park and Postpone Events

LAKEWOOD – The health, safety, and well-being of fans and staff is always a priority. With that in mind, BlueClaws staff will work remotely beginning March 16 and FirstEnergy Park is closed to the public.

The staff will be available via phone (at the same 732-901-7000 number) and email, just as if they were in the office.

Upcoming Non-Baseball Events: National Anthem Tryouts scheduled for April 1 are now online only.

The Jenkinson’s Boardwalk Opening Night First Pitch Sweepstakes is still open for entries through April 5, though the prize redemption will be determined at a later date.

The Jersey Shore Wine Festival, sched-

uled for April 25, has been postponed to October 3.

Additional Questions: How can I pick-up my ticket package tickets? If you did not pick up your ticket package tickets on Saturday, you will be able to do so when the office re-opens.

Is the Claws Cove open? The Claws Cove will be closed. However, fans can shop online 24 hours a day at BlueClaws.com/ Shop. Orders will be processed as soon as possible.

When will the 2020 season begin? We are in constant communication with Minor League Baseball, the South Atlantic League, state and local authorities and are preparing to play the season when all parties agree it is safe to do so.

Government 0fficials... Have news that you would like the community to be involved with? Let everyone know by placing a news release in this paper!

Send it to news@jerseyshoreonline.com.

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The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 7

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Page 8, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

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out how it is going. My daughter’s teacher from Ardena sent a personal e-mail expressing that if she had any questions to please reach out to her,” Canova added.

In assisting The Howell Times for this article, Canova reached out to several parents who provided feedback about their adjustment to the situation. That feedback included, “someone said the remote instruction has been great. The amount of work has been very adequate and she was impressed how the teachers posted the lesson plans,” Canova said.

Other feedback noted, “another person said it is going well but her child said because it is all digital it is a little boring and she definitely misses her teacher and that one-on-one instruction,” Canova said. “Other than that, everyone has been very happy with it.”

Canova’s 10-year-old daughter Alexa said she misses school. “I miss my teachers and my friends.

I like one-on-one teaching. It really is nice to have communication off the internet but the work is easy to do. They aren’t giving us anything hard to do at the beginning. We aren’t going forward we are currently reviewing what we did. I want to learn something new.”

Her 12-year-old sister Ava, a middle school student, said “I feel a lot of pros and cons but I really miss teachers teaching us…online it gets confusing when it’s all typed up. I also miss the activities. We have a play, I’m in “Legally Blonde.”

We don’t know how long this will be or if it will be cancelled. We worked during the winter on this.

The new date we had is May 1-2 but my mom told me we might be out of school for longer and I keep practicing.”

Her sister Gianna, 14, who also attends Middle School North feels even worse about the situation as she is playing major character Paulette. “We’ve been rehearsing since October almost every day.

Our whole cast has put so much work and hours into this.”

Gianna is also afraid of missing out on her school’s formal. “That it might be taken away from us is very upsetting.” As for missing her friends at this time, “group face time helps us out, Schoology helps us organize our lessons, and videos, we have a big group chats. This is different. I can help my sisters out with their school work. I help Ava with math and I help Alexa with the lap top.”

Other activities Gianna fears will end prematurely this school year include her participation on the track and an April 22 trip to New York City. “The Broadway shows got suspended so we might not be able to go. We had so many fun trips scheduled in June. If this all ends, we might not have them.”

Her mom noted that she also hopes that conditions change to allow things to go back to normal.

She noted however that while Howell was closed for two weeks that she expects “we’ll probably be following New York which has a longer time frame. They will reassess that. The most important thing is that we are very safe and stay safe.

We don’t really know what is going on with the virus itself.”

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Concern:

Continued From Page 1 Mayor and Council, Board of Education and Emergency Services have been collaborating to ensure our community remains safe and informed. Howell Township has been diligently working on plans to protect our employees and residents,” the message stated. “Weeks ago, our Department of Public Works began implementing a plan of daily sanitization of high traffic areas in our public buildings. Hand sanitizer stations have been installed at various access points to buildings, to serve as a supplement to the regular handwashing recommended by medical professionals.”

Officials added that, “new policies are being rolled out to the township’s first line of defense, our fi rst responders, so they may better protect themselves and report suspected cases to the Monmouth County Department of Health. Our Office of Emergency Management has been tasked with inventorying our stock of Personal Protective Equipment, to be available for our first responders.”

What Can You Do? Howell officials are urging people to remain calm and to educate yourself during this emergency.

For regular updates, check twp.howell. nj.us/ and sign up for Nixle Emergency Alert Notifications. “We are working with our partners in the local School District and will be posting any updates regarding the school district at this location as well and

The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 9 recommend talking to your children, as a resource to educate your children about COVID-19.”

Make sure you are prepared with adequate food and medications as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Protection.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community.

Stay home if you’re sick, except to get medical care.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash. Clean your hands after.

Wear a facemask if you are sick.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily, such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

At presstime, Howell does have some coronavirus cases, and the mayor and council are continuing to urge residents to “work together to minimize the spread.”

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Page 10, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

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COMMUNITY NEWS C LUB N EWS , A CTIVITIES , E VENTS & A NNOUNCEMENTS

Juvenile Justice Commission Suspends Visits

NEW JERSEY – Out of an abundance of caution, the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) is temporarily suspending visits for the next 30 days, effective immediately, to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“In order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health of JJC residents and staff, we have taken the necessary step of limiting visits to our JJC facilities,” said Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal. “JJC residents, family members, and guardians are being informed of these changes and are being provided with information on how to access additional phone calls and video visits. I want to express my thanks to the JJC staff who work tirelessly to ensure that the young people in our care have the support and services they need, particularly during difficult times.”

“Actively promoting and maintaining family connection is part of the JJC’s mission because family support is fundamental to helping young people grow and thrive,” said Dr. Jennifer LeBaron, Acting Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission. “However, we are in the midst of a public health crisis, and ensuring the safety and well-being of our youth, staff, and the public is our number one priority. We thank our residents and their families for their patience and understanding during this difficult time.”

In an effort to mitigate the impact of this temporary measure, the JJC is increasing access to other forms of communication with families, including expanding access to additional phone calls, free-of-charge, and expanding

access to video visits.

Visits related to legal representation are not impacted by the suspension.

This latest action is part of a series of measures the JJC is taking to address the pandemic, including: • Conducting COVID-19 related health screenings upon admission of youth to the JJC; • Screening of other visitors, such as contractors and attorneys, entering facilities; • Restricting the transfer of youth coming from county detention centers who present with flu-like symptoms or lower respiratory tract symptoms; • Routine messaging to staff regarding the need to stay home and seek medical attention if they have traveled, had contact with individuals impacted by COVID-19, or are experiencing flu-like symptoms or lower respiratory tract symptoms; • Requiring that staff disclose travel activity; • Enhanced sanitization and education efforts to mitigate the spread of germs; • Directing the use of medically supported personal protective equipment, where and when determined to be medically necessary; • Preparing medical quarantine areas for impacted youth to be utilized if deemed necessary by medical personnel; • Continued sharing of information with county detention centers.

For the latest information on COVID-19, state residents are encouraged to visit nj.gov/health/ coronavirus or dial the state’s 24/7 hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

The Howell Times welcomes your special announcements! Engagements, Weddings, Births, Birthday Wishes, etc. Please call 732-657-7344 for more details!

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The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 11

COMMUNITY NEWS C LUB N EWS , A CTIVITIES , E VENTS & A NNOUNCEMENTS

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NEW JERSEY–Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal issued guidance to law enforcement agencies across New Jersey on steps to take to fulfill their duties to protect the public as effectively and safely as possible in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attorney General Grewal spoke by phone this afternoon to the state’s police chiefs and other chief law enforcement executives to brief them regarding the new guidance, as well as measures being taken by Governor Murphy and the Department of Law and Public Safety to address the rapidly evolving situation.

“Faced with this unprecedented health crisis, our work as members of law enforcement is more important than ever,” said Attorney General Grewal. “Our law enforcement leaders and officers are among the best in the nation, and I know that, working together, we will rise to this challenge. The guidance we are offering today represents common sense measures, supported by health experts, to keep our officers safe while meeting our duty to protect our communities.”

The letter distributed today to all County Prosecutors and Law Enforcement Chief Executives addresses several critical areas: Keeping officers safe: the guidance specifically adopts best practices for law enforcement issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), recommends other social distancing measures, and lays out the process for law enforcement agencies to request additional personal protective equipment.

Relatedly, theAttorney General directed that divisions in the Department of Law & Public Safety may no longer hold in-person meetings and instead must use teleconference and videoconference capabilities whenever possible. Work-related travel and external meetings also have been suspended as measures to limit in-person interactions. The New Jersey State Police are also observing the CDC guidelines while communicating with civilians. For anyone who walks into the lobby at a State Police station, there is a glass partition between the visitor and the trooper to act as a barrier. To help keep conditions sanitary, every station is being cleaned twice daily. Local police departments are being urged to replicate these best practices.

Addressing staffing challenges: law enforcement agencies facing staffing shortages due to officers

contracting COVID-19 or becoming subject to quarantine are advised to exercise options including expanding use of Special Law Enforcement Officers (SLEOs) and relying on mutual aid agreements with their counties and neighboring municipalities.

Charging decisions: law enforcement officers and prosecutors are asked to consider delaying the filing of criminal charges in cases that do not imminently impact public safety. In addition, they are urged to consider the issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic in deciding whether to seek pre-trial detention, while noting that public safety and victim safety must remain the priority in any such decision.

Enforcement of COVID-related violations: the letter informs all Law Enforcement Chief Executives about the rules contained in Executive Order 104, and directs each County Prosecutor and the Division of Criminal Justice to have Assistant Prosecutors and DeputyAttorneys General on call 24/7 to assist in law enforcement officers in making charging decisions for any violations of the Executive Order. The Attorney General’s guidance relates only to violations of the Governor’s Executive Order, and does not extend to the violations of COVID-related county or local orders.

At the same time, because Executive Order 104 makes clear certain businesses are essential—including grocery/food stores, pharmacies, medical supply stores, gas stations, and healthcare facilities—the letter instructs officers to not enforce local ordinances that limit the hours during which those companies may receive deliveries, as well as to not enforce any other local ordinances (such as noise ordinances) in ways that would inhibit transportation companies from timely and effectively delivering food, medicine, and medical supplies to these essential businesses, during the pendency of the Public Health Emergency.

Enforcement of other Emergent Matters. Notwithstanding any court closures, law enforcement officers will continue to take all necessary steps to protect the public, and on any day where courts are closed, officers will handle all applications for Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) and Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Orders (TERPOs) as they would on holidays, nights, and weekends.

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Page 12, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

R.C. Shea & Assoc. AROUND THE JERSEY SHORE

Inside The Law Ripped Off? Now What?

Robert C. Shea Esq.

By: Michael J. Deem, Esq., and Robert C. Shea, Esq. of R.C. Shea & Associates

Have you been ripped off by a car dealer, a home improvement contractor or some other business? Remember, there is no such thing as a “free lunch.” Anytime someone tries to sell you something, you should take everything they say with a grain of salt. This is particularly true when you purchase a car, buy a home, hire someone to remodel your house, pay for any other type of goods and/or services, and particularly where you are entering into some type of written agreement.

Unfortunately, we live in a society today where some businesses make claims or representations that turn out not to be true or omit to tell you an important item, for example, that an automobile has been in a severe prior accident or a home has a wet basement. Make no mistake, fraud is rampant in New Jersey. The Division of Consumer Affairs reports that the largest source of complaints concern car dealers and home improvement contractors. However there are other dishonest businesses that rip off consumers for small amounts of money – which add up to a lot of profits for the business. When the amount is small, you may think that your damages are too small to hire an attorney and may not be worth the time to do something about it.

The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act Fortunately, New Jersey has a remedy – the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act- is the strongest consumer protection law in the nation. If you have been the victim of a misrepresentation, deception, fraud, false pretense or the omission of an important material fact, you may be entitled to three times your damages plus payment of your attorney’s fees by the defendant business if you have suffered the loss of money.

The Consumer Fraud Act covers almost every sale of merchandise and services. The purpose of the Act is to promote honesty and fair dealing in the marketplace. For example, any affirmative misrepresentation by a seller results in liability regardless of whether the representation was made in good faith or negligently. Businesses are presumed to have a superior knowledge of the goods and services that they sell as well as superior knowledge of the laws and regulations

that govern your business.

Accordingly, they are strictly liable for committing consumer fraud.

The purpose of the Act is Michael J. Deem to encourage private attorneys to represent consumers in disputes that involve small damages otherwise consumers would not be able to obtain representation. The defendant is required to pay the successful consumer’s attorney’s fees and costs.

An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure When you deal with a home-improvement contractor or other seller, try to limit the amount that you make as a down payment. The more money that pay a contractor upfront, the greater the risk they will delay the job, not return to finish the work, or not make corrections. There have been many stories where a contractor took a deposit and never returned to start the job or only did a little work and never returned.

When purchasing a used car, you should always get a CARFAX and you should always take the vehicle to your trusted mechanic and have it tested. Make sure that any verbal representations that are made by the dealer are put in writing. Always read the agreement! Many times, the agreements contain paragraphs that limit the liability of the seller, require you to give up consumer protection rights, or say things that are completely opposite from that which the seller has verbally promised.

Although “Buyer Beware” is not the law in New Jersey, not reading or understanding the terms of the agreement you sign is no defense—the seller is not required to explain the agreement and you cannot rely on the verbal representations when entering into a written contract.

The litigation attorneys at the Law Offices of R.C. Shea & Associates handle most consumer fraud claims on a contingency basis. A contingency means if there is no recovery, there is no fee. Call us for a free consultation: 732-505-1212.

Our clients’ success is our greatest reward.

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Become A Volunteer Advocate For Victims Of Domestic Violence

MONMOUTH COUNTY – You can be the change you want to see in the world by joining 180’s life-changing mission today.

180 Turning Lives Around (180), a private non-profit organization in Monmouth County, continues to provide confidential support and advocacy to victims of domestic violence in the aftermath of a highly emotional and traumatic experience with the assistance of its dedicated response team volunteers at police headquarters throughout Monmouth County.

180’s volunteer Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) Victim Advocates are civilian members of the community who work collaboratively with law enforcement to provide support, information, and resources to victims of domestic violence. Advocates also discuss with victim’s safety planning and their legal rights in regard to obtaining a Temporary Restraining Order. By providing empathy and a crucial perspective of the situation, these specially-trained advocates help to empower victims to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.

The mandatory 40-hour training course for new volunteer advocates is being conducted by 180 staff April 21 through May 14, Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays, 6 to 9:30 p.m. The Tuesday sessions are being

held at the Holmdel Community Center, 6 Crawfords Corner Road. The location for the Wednesday and Thursday sessions is the courtroom at Hazlet Police Headquarters, 255 Middle Road. Training will be provided for free to successful applicants.

Basic requirements for volunteers to apply include that they must be eighteen years of age or older, have access to reliable transportation, possess a valid driver’s license, be willing to serve on an on-call shift basis, participate in an interview process, submit to background investigations and fingerprinting, and successfully complete the mandatory training. The police departments and 180 are committed to culturally and socially diverse teams to better serve the community. Bi-lingual capability is helpful.

Prior knowledge of domestic violence is not required. The identities of the DVRT volunteers are kept anonymous.

For an application or additional information, contact Tina Morgan, Assistant Victim Support Program Coordinator, at tinam@180nj.org or 732 264-4360, Ext. 4272. Mention the town where you reside.

Deadline to apply is April 10. Applications are also available for download at: 180nj. org/give-help/volunteering/domestic-violence-response-team-advocate

EDUCATORS! Have a special event planned for your class? Let everyone know by placing a news release in this paper! Call 732-657-7344 to find out how!

PO Box 521, Lakehurst, NJ 08733 •Phone 732-657-7344 • Fax: 732-657-7388 e-mail: news@jerseyshoreonline.com • jerseyshoreonline.com

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The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 13

H ERE ’ S T O Y OUR H EALTH Dear Pharmacist Suzy Cohen, R. Ph.

7 Cool Things To Do with Cucumbers

By Suzy Cohen, R. Ph.

Once summer rolls around there’s always one or two cucumbers in my fridge. Cucumbers have a lot of health benefits, and they’re actually a fruit, not a vegetable. They’re in the same family as melons, zucchini and pumpkin.

Cucumbers have many active components, among them is an anti-inflammatory flavonol called “fisetin,” which supports brain health. Cucumbers offer compounds that are antioxidants, so they help prevent systemic rusting.

Here’s some fresh ways to use cucumbers: 1. Soothe itchy eyes. Cut two slices off and lay upon your eyes. This feels especially comfy if you have red, itchy eyes from whatever’s blooming. You can also cut slices and put in a jar of water and infuse the water for an hour (refrigerate), then make a compress out of the cucumber water. Squeeze it and lay that upon your eyes.

2. Juice them. They contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol and secoisolariciresinol which are three important compounds when it comes to reducing risk of reproductive cancers (ovarian, breast, uterine, prostate). Secoisolariciresinol is also found in flax.

3. Heal burns. Cut the slices lengthwise and apply to areas of sunburn, or use the compress idea from above.

4. Drink them. Cut cucumbers into 1/2 slices along with 1/4 slices of lemon and put into a beautiful glass decanter or ca-

rafe with some ice. Let it marinate for an hour and then drink all day. Among the many health benefits, you may notice a mild diuretic effect that could help with blood pressure and weight loss.

5. Eat them. The profound medicinal benefits of cucumbers are not apparent to you. I bet you walk right past them in the produce section all the time.

These guys can block COX2 enzymes (similar to Celebrex, a popular medication) dampening down pain-causing cytokines. While cucumbers are not as strong as drugs, I’d still chop some into your salad along with fresh tomatoes and basil leaves. Finish with cilantro-lime vinaigrette. This salad adds fiber, which in turn helps you manage weight.

6. Treat acne with it. Cucumbers have the ability to remove dirt, dead skin cells, bacteria and left over make-up residue. It naturally calms and cools a red or inflamed area. Put a quarter of an unpeeled cucumber in your food grinder along with a tablespoon of witch hazel and 2 drops of tea tree oil and 5 drops lavender. Grind to a smooth consistency and apply as a ‘mask’ or dab on an area.

7. Make a toner for your face. Slice cucumbers into two cups pure distilled water. Strain out the cucumbers so you are left with cucumber water. Add one tablespoon of organic aloe vera leaf juice, 10 drops essential oil of lavender and five drops of jasmine. For oily skin add five drops of helichrysum. If you have dry skin, use rose oil.

(This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist” and “Real Solutions.” For more information, visit www.SuzyCohen.com) ©2019 SUZY COHEN, RPH. DISTRIBUTED BY DEAR PHARMACIST, INC.

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Page 14, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU

C ROSSWORD P UZZLE

Across 1 “Get lost!’

6 Google __: geographical app 10 Ruth with bats 14 Egypt’s capital 15 They may clash on a movie set 16 Environmental sci.

17 *Power source that plugs into a computer port 19 Physics particle 20 Andes, e.g.: Abbr.

21 Against 22 Make amends (for) 23 *”Airplane!” flight number, to the control tower 26 Boats with double-bladed paddles 29 Forget to include 30 Mosque leader 31 Address for Bovary 33 Having one flat, musically 36 *Carl Icahn or Mi-

chael Milken 40 Billy the __ 41 Father or son New York governor 42 Head, to Henri 43 Suffix with joke or pun 44 Gratify 46 *Castle gate-busting weapon 51 Going on, to Sherlock 52 Lily pad squatter 53 Sock hop site 56 “The Mod Squad” cop 57 Home of the player at the ends of the answers to starred clues 60 Actor Estrada 61 Be complicit in, as a caper 62 Giraffe kin 63 Exec’s asst.

64 TiVo predecessors 65 Jotted down Down

1 Film on stagnant water 2 Film credits list 3 Barbecue fare 4 Smile shape 5 Iroquoian people, or a hair style named for them 6 Fred or Ethel of old TV 7 Texas A&M athlete 8 19th-century master of the macabre 9 Old Rus. state 10 “Get lost!”

11 Follow, as a tip 12 Trailblazing Daniel 13 Roundheaded Fudd 18 Yucat‡n years 22 Jungian inner self 23 Pack (down) 24 Calf-roping event 25 Poet Khayy‡m 26 Punt or field goal 27 Mine, to Marcel 28 One of 100 between end zones 31 Native New Zealander

32 Source of quick cash, briefly 33 Brainstorm 34 Butterfly catchers 35 For nothing 37 Eight-musician group 38 Regretful sort 39 Bulleted list entry 43 Heavyset 44 Plum’s title in Clue, briefly 45 Blue or black water of filmdom 46 Hay bundles 47 Burning 48 Mixer with gin 49 Player referenced in 57-Across’ clue, briefly 50 Southern side dish 53 Tiny biting insect 54 “Eek!” 55 Hotel room cleaner 57 Cleveland cager, for short 58 “Easy as” letters 59 Old studio letters

(c)2020 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, INC.

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The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 15

CLASSIFIEDS For Rent

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Room For Rent - Adult Community Toms River. Furnished kitchen privileges. All Utilities included. $500 monmth. Call 732-779-7432.

(15)

La Gondola Ristorante & Pizzeria - in Lakehurst is seeking ft/pt waiters or waitresses. Come into our pizzeria for more information. (15)

For Rent 55 plus Holiday City@ Berkeley - Sarasota 2 Bed 1 bath, completely painted, new carpet, new windows, central air, garage, patio, corner lot. $1,375. No smoking, No references-no show. 862-262-7232. (15)

PT or F/T Electro Mechanical Technician - to work w/Ink Jet Coders, Printers & Conveyors in Lakewood.

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Cedar Glen West is looking for mechanics and laborer / grounds crew.

General building knowledge and a drivers license for mechanics are a must. Working knowledge of hot water boiler operations is a definite plus.

Drivers license for laborers is a must.

We do offer health benefits. Mechanics must be willing to participate in the on call rotation. 7326575525. (13)

Real Estate Leisure Village West - Model Wheaton. 2 Bds, garage, patio, screened porch, 1 bath. $129,000.

732-850-1555.

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Personals Single Senior Males - 65+ Wanted for single females. Soulmate, friendship or partner. Have good standards, qualities. Leave name and number for return call. 732-678-6786. (13)

Items For Sale Fishing Equipment - For sale.

Fresh and salt water flies. Call Don 732-349-4373.

(15) Baby Grand Piano - $1,800 or best offer, Forked River, NJ. 609693-9578 leave message.

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Items Wanted Cash - Top dollar, paid for junk, cars running and nonrunning, late model salvage, cars and trucks, etc. 732-928-3713.

(17) $$$ WANTED TO BUY $$$ Jewelry and watches, costume jewelry, sterling silver, silverplate, medals, military items, antiques, musical instruments, pottery, fine art, photographs, paintings, statues, old coins, vintage toys and dolls, rugs, old pens and postcards, clocks, furniture, brica-brac, select china and crystal patterns. Cash paid. Over 35 years experience. Call Gary Struncius. 732-364-7580. (t/n) COSTUME/ESTATE JEWELRY Looking to buy costume/ estate jewelry, old rosaries and religious medals, all watches and any type of sterling silver, bowls, flatware candlesticks or jewelry. Same day house calls and cash on the spot. 5 percent more with this AD. Call Peggy at 732-581-5225. (t/n) CASH, CASH, CASH! - Instant cash paid for junk cars, trucks, vans. Free removal of any metal items. Discount towing. Call Dano 732-239-3949. (t/n) Vinyl Records Wanted - Paying cash for Rock, Reggae, Blues, Elvis, Jazz, Metal, Psychedelic. Very Good Condition only. Call Rick 908-616-7104. (16) Entire Estates Bought - Bedroom/dining sets, dressers, cedar chests, wardrobes, secretaries, pre-1950 wooden furniture, older glassware, oriental rugs, paintings, bronzes, silver, bric-a-brac.

Call Jason at 609-970-4806. (t/n) CASH FOR RECORDS!! - Buying LPs, reel tapes, CD's, stereos, guitars, saxophones, tube amplifiers + other music related. Come to (6) you. Brian 732-804-8115.

U s e d G u n s Wa n t e d - A l l types: collectibles, military, etc.

Call 917-681-6809. (t/n)

Carpenters, Glaziers, Helpers Wanted - Glass experience a must.

Clean Drivers License. email resume to info@gssindllc.com or call 732-919-0011.

(13) SALES - Reliable, Friendly Personalty for P/T retail sales. Military experience helpful but will train.

Retired? Need extra money? Send resume to shorearmynavy@gmail. com or call 732-349-3307.

(13) Laundromat Attendant - For FT/PT Good communication skills, math and min computer knowledge. Transportation needed. Long term commitment only. 732-286-1863.

(13) C.H.H.A. - Weekends. Send resumes via email to hr@magnoliaal.com or fax to 732-557-6501. Apply online at Magnoliaal.com or in person at Magnolia Gardens. 1935 Route 9, Toms River. 732-557-6500. (14) Part Time Food Service - STARTING RATE OF $11.00/hr. Scholarship opportunities. Flexible Schedules.

We have immediate openings for the following positions: Part Time Server/ Wait Staff. Part Time Dietary Aide.

Part Time Utility Aide/Dishwasher Apply in in Person to: The Pines at Whiting, 509 Route 530, Whiting, NJ 08759 or email resume to rscully@ thepinesatwhiting.org. EOE. (16) Now Hiring – The Goddard School on Route 70 is seeking full time Teacher’s Assistant and leads for the upcoming school year. We provide a warm, loving environment for children up to six years. Must have a flexible schedule, available Mon-Fri. Benefits include paid time off, 401k and paid lunch on Fridays. To learn more about these positions, email your resume to toms river2nj@goddardschools.com Home Health Care Company Now Hiring RN’s, LPN’s and CHHA in Ocean & Monmouth Counties! Flexible scheduling. Work in your community.

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CNA/CHHA - The Pines Senior Living Community is currently looking for entry level and experienced Certified Nursing Assistants for our Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Communities: Skilled Nursing CNA $16/hr. FT 7-3 Skilled Nursing E/O Weekend (1) position. FT 3-11 Skilled Nursing E/O weekend (2) positions. Weekly pay! Weekend only positions - $20/hr Per Diem $18/hr Assisted Living CHHA or CNA $12/ hr Weekly pay Full Time 3-11 (10 Days per pay) E/O weekend Memory Care. Full Time 11-7 E/O weekend. Part Time 11-7 E/O weekend 4 days a week. Weekend only positions $14/hr. Per Diem $12/25/hr Full Time positions offer competitive rate (based on experience), and excellent benefits including health, dental, life, paid time off and 401(K) with generous match after 1 year. Apply in Person to: The Pines, 509 Route 530, Whiting, NJ 08759 or apply online at www.thepinesatwhiting.org.

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Services Don Carnevale Painting Specializing interiors. Some exterior.

Quality always. Very neat. Prompt courteous service. Reasonable-affordable. Senior discounts. Honest-reliable. Low rates. Free estimates. 732899-4470 or 732-915-4075.

(19) A Great Cleaning Service - Homes Offices Rentals. Thorough, reliable honest, with excellent references.

Senior Discounts. Free Estimates.

Call 732-948-4730, Barbara.

(15) Looking For Live-in Job - To care for the elderly. 25 years experience. Good references. Call Maria 347-664-0959.

(14) House Painting - Interior only.

Wa l l p a p e r r e m o v a l , k i t c h e n cabinet painting. Nice job. Not a cheap job. Licensed and insured, 732-929-4399.

(14) Bobs Waterproofing - Basement and crawlspace waterproofing. Mold testing, removal and prevention.

Family owned. Fully licensed and insured. Call Bob 732-616-5007. (t/n) PQ Painting & Home Improvement Services - Over 5 decades of service in NJ. Visit us online at pqpaintingservice.com. Winner of Angie’s List Super Service Award.

Free estimates, reasonable rates, fully licensed and insured NJ Lic #13VH06752800. Call 732500-3063 or 609-356-2444. (t/n) Need A Ride - Senior discounts.

Airports: NEW, PHIL, AC, Trenton.

Tom. Save ad. 551-427-0227. (24) Paint Your Rooms - Fast Clean Neat, Starting At $50. Per Room. Wallpaper Removal, Exteriors, Power Washing Call 732-864-6396 Leave Voicemail.

(4)

SPRING CLEANUPS - Landscaping restorations carpentry masonry renovations repairs downed branches hedges shrubs bushes mulch stone debris removal demolition cleanouts dumpster service provided by a Licensed A901Hauler.

MAN WITH Van LLC Jim 609335-0330 HIC#13VH10806000.

NO JOB TOO SMALL. (17)

Services Nor’easter Painting and Staining, LLC - Interior and exterior. Decks, powerwashing. Affordable. Senior discounts. References. No job too small. Fully insured. 732-6910123. Lic #13VH09460600. (19) Car Service - 24/7. Doctors, shopping, airports, hospitals, cruise, shops, Atlantic City, family functions, NYC accomodations for large groups. Call for reasonable rates. Kerry 732-606-2725.

(19) At Home Companion - Dementia and Hospice Experienced, Cooking, Shopping, Transportation. Enjoy Peace of Mind!

732-278-3770 JoAnn. (14)

Services

Services

Roofing Repairs Etc. - Roofing, siding, windows. Repairs on small jobs.

Utility shed roofs replaced. Prompt service. Insured. Gutters cleaned.

Call Joe Wingate 551-804-7391. (16)

Cheap Painting Done Rite Free estimates. Fully insured. 38 years experience. 732-506-7787 cell 646-643-7678.

(37)

ALL American Home Health Aides Experienced experts in the field of trauma and recovery. Holistic approach to healing-nutrition, physical therapy, and quality of life improvements.

Hourly or live in. Honest, hardworking, etc. Includes housekeeping, rides to doctors/pleasure. Skip the rest, come to the best. 732-664-3605 (t/n) Handyman Service - Carpentry, masonry, painting repairs large and small. 40 years experience.

Call Jim 732-674-3346.

(16)

Computer Tutoring for Seniors – Retired, “Microsoft Certified” instructor. Very Reasonable rates. Very patient with slow learners. I’ll teach you in the comfort of your home on your computer. I can trouble shoot your slow computer! I also teach iPhone and iPad. I set up new computers at less than half the price the retailers charge. Windows 10 specialist. I can also build a beautiful small business website at a fraction of the going rates. Special Projects always welcome! Tony 732-997-8192. (t/n)

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Page 16, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

How To Deal With NJ’s New Shutdowns

By Chris Lundy OCEAN COUNTY – In a move that is going to become the new normal for the next few weeks, people are required to stay in their homes except for emergencies until April 7.

This executive order comes from Gov. Phil Murphy and follows in line with what some other states are doing.

Across the state, there have been 1,327 positive cases. There are 63 in Ocean County as of press time. This, of course, only counts the number of people who have actually been tested. There are many more with COVID-19 symptoms who have not been tested. There have been 16 deaths attributed to the virus statewide.

The order directs people to stay at home

until further notice, but there are exceptions.

For example, the executive order won’t stop you from visiting family or close friends.

However, social distancing might stop you from making those visits. This means that it’s a good idea not to visit people because you or the person you’re visiting could have the disease but are not showing symptoms yet. And if you do see other people, you are

instructed to stay six feet apart to slow the spread of the disease.

The order cancels all parties and social events.

This doesn’t prevent you from exercising, but you’d have to do it on your own. Gyms are closed, as are many parks.

The order also doesn’t prevent you from (Shutdowns - See Page 17)

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Shutdowns:

Continued From Page 16 getting essential goods or services, or going to work if your job is still open.

Here are the businesses that are still open: • Grocery stores, farmer’s markets and farms that sell directly to customers, and other food stores, including retailers that offer a varied assortment of foods comparable to what exists at a grocery store • Take-out portions of restaurants • Pharmacies and medical marijuana dispensaries • Medical supply stores • Gas stations • Convenience stores • Ancillary stores within healthcare facilities • Hardware and home improvement stores • Banks and other financial institutions • Laundromats and dry-cleaning services • Stores that principally sell supplies for children under five years • Pet stores • Liquor stores • Car dealerships, but only for auto maintenance and repair, and auto mechanics • Printing and office supply shops • Mail and delivery stores “From day one, we’ve made a commitment to be guided by the facts and take any action necessary to protect the health and safety of New Jersey’s nine million residents,” said Governor Murphy. “We know the virus spreads through person-to-person contact, and the best way to prevent further exposure is to limit our public interactions to only the most essential purposes. This is a time for us all to come together in one mission to ‘flatten the curve’ and slow – and eventually halt – the spread of coronavirus.”

All jobs, if possible, must allow for workfrom-home arrangements. If this isn’t possible, the business should reduce staff on site to a skeleton crew to prevent people from getting each other sick.

Examples of employees who need to be present at their work site in order to perform their job duties include, but are not limited to, law enforcement officers, fire fighters, other first responders, cashiers or store clerks, construction workers, utility workers, repair workers, warehouse workers, lab researchers, IT maintenance workers, janitorial and custodial staff, and certain administrative staff.

The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 17 The Ocean County Health Department and local schools have been putting out messages to residents and parents about what to do and what not to do. Most of the bullet points are the same. They are summed up here: • Wash hands often, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or into your sleeve, not your hands.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Keep your children home when they are sick. Children should not return to school unless they have been fever-free without medication for 24 hours.

• Stay home if you are sick.

• Avoid people who are sick.

• Clean and disinfect regularly.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects.

• Encourage a “do not share” rule: food, drink, lip balm, pencils, etc.

• Have a 30-day supply of non-perishables, medicine, and medical needs like oxygen.

• Call a doctor if you feel like you’re developing symptoms.

• Stay in touch with family and loved ones Information On COVID-19 Residents wanting to get up-to-date information should visit covid19.nj.gov, which was set up by the state to keep residents abreast of the latest developments. You can also learn about food assistance and small business assistance through this site.

Additionally, you can learn about employment benefits, education resources, and also has a way for the public to submit questions.

There is also a symptom checker on the site, so people can tell if they have the disease.

COVID-19 stands for coronavirus disease, and 19 stands for 2019, the year it was diagnosed.

Health officials have been using the term “flattening the curve.” This means trying to prevent the build-up of cases to the point where hospitals won’t be able to handle them all. Getting a few new cases in a given area every day is more manageable.

The difference between a “presumptive case” and an official case is designated by the Centers for Disease Control. Basically, someone can test positive for the disease locally, but will only be considered a “presumptive” case until the CDC tests them.

(Shutdowns - See Page 18)

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Page 18, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

Shutdowns:

Continued From Page 17 For more information and statistics pertaining to COVID-19, visit ochd.org. The OCHD is providing COVID Information Call Line for residents and clinicians to answer questions regarding the coronavirus. The number is 732-341-9700 ext. 7411.

The Health Department will be giving daily case counts at OCHD.org, where updated

statistics on the spread of the virus can be found.

You can also call the NJDOH hotline available around the clock for questions at 1-800-222-1222.

Additional information can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/ summary.html or the New Jersey Department of Health website at state.nj.us/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml.

Hospital Visitation Restricted Citing the health of patients, their families, and hospital staff, restrictions were announced at all Hackensack Meridian Health locations. This includes Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, K. Hovnanian’s Children Hospital, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Stafford.

Exceptions will be made in certain situations, including hospice, pediatric care,

ambulatory care/same day surgery (one visitor), and maternity/labor and delivery (one visitor).

If a visitor is approved, they will undergo a temperature screening, and will have to provide their contact information.

Similarly, all hospital staff are being asked to take their temperature before they come in to work.

These restrictions will be reviewed in 30 days to see if they should be removed.

Know The Signs Of Heart Attack NEW JERSEY – Fast action can save lives. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms below call 9-1-1 immediately. It could be a heart attack. Do not drive to the hospital yourself or have a family member do so.

If there is a serious heart issue, emergency medical personnel can start tests and treatments right away in the ambulance and can send time-sensitive information to the hospital in anticipation of your arrival.

Symptoms include: chest pain or discomfort, upper body discomfort, shortness of breath, cold sweats or clammy skin, unusual fatigue or weakness, dizziness, nausea or lightheadedness, anxiety and feeling of indigestion that won’t go away.

jerseyshoreonline.com

The Howell Times, March 28, 2020, Page 19

Omarr’s Astrological Forecast For the week of MAR 28 - apr 3

By Jeraldine Saunders

ARIES (March 21-April 19): LWhen you have your heart set on meeting a goal, you can move faster than that road runner in the old cartoons. You might have better results if you strive to be candid rather than hide your feelings in the week ahead.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Widen your network of friends and acquaintances in the upcoming week by getting familiar with the latest trends. Your social life can be energized if you take up a sport or sign up for exercise classes with a partner.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Brilliant is as brilliant does. Show off your understanding of a subject by putting it into action. Your grasp of the latest ideas and new discoveries can draw you and a special someone closer this week.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Accept positive criticism if it’s offered. In the week ahead, your thoughtful and studious behaviors may shift into new territory as you become more ambitious and want to participate more fully in the outer world.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Get out and about.

You might be at your best when you have a cheerful companion by your side. You may not be content unless there is something fun to do and someplace to go in the upcoming week.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your mind is at its best today, so make decisions and discoveries while the time is right. Your intuitions could be out of kilter later in the week, when it will be best to avoid a dispute with a loved one.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your ringing phone may accompany an upswing in popularity.

Stay in touch with your most trusted friends and partners, because the news and views you hear could help you get ahead in the week to come.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The change jingling in your pocket could fall out an unnoticed hole in the early part of the week. In your enthusiasm to spend time with loved ones or friends, you might be careless about spending.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Content might be king, but the contentment that comes from being in perfect harmony with others is the power behind the throne. You can enjoy working side by side with your favorite people this week.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): When you are on a roll, being overconfident can create challenges. You are unflinching about tackling even the grittiest jobs, but purchasing decisions can be penny wise and pound foolish in the week ahead.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Great ideas sometimes need to simmer before they make a palatable meal. In the upcoming week, avoid changing your business and financial routines based on incomplete knowledge of new opportunities.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Some people may call you old-fashioned, but your sterling ethics and moral code will withstand the test of tides and time. Focus on rising above petty gossip and some people’s odd behavior in the week ahead.

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wolfgang puck’s kitchen Two ‘Underground’ Vegetables Join Forces In A Soup You’ll Want To Share

By Wolfgang Puck One of the happiest benefits of the farmers market revolution is the fact that food lovers get to discover products that not so long ago were unknown or unavailable. Seeing beautiful piles of produce in a market stall and talking with the people who grew them encourages cooks to try vegetables or fruits that they may once have been wary of tasting through unfamiliarity, much in the way that toddlers sometimes instinctively turn their heads away when introduced to new foods.

Two of my favorite ingredients whose profiles have risen in recent years - thanks in part to farmers markets are sunchokes and fennel bulbs. I like to think of them as both literally and figuratively “underground” vegetables, because they grow beneath the soil and once were little known to the general public. What’s especially interesting and pleasing to me is how well they complement each other, as you’ll see when you make my recipe for sunchoke and fennel soup.

“Sunchoke” is the modern-day name now generally given to what once called the Jerusalem artichoke. The name has changed largely for accuracy, since the knobby little tuber (an underground stem, or rhizome, like a potato), which looks a bit like overgrown ginger, neither comes from Jerusalem nor is related to the artichoke, apart from a shared slightly nutty flavor.

In fact, the first part of the former name comes from the fact that it’s part of the sunflower family, and the Italian word for that plant is girasole, literally meaning “turning toward the sun” as sunflowers tend to do; though it was mistranslated into English as a reference to the Holy Land! Sunchokes are highly versatile, delicious raw in thin slices or cooked in a wide variety of ways.

Fennel bulb, meanwhile, is related to the feathery, anise-scented herb called fennel. The bulb is wonderfully crisp and refreshingly flavorful, delicious raw in salads or cooked. Some people, however, may object to its hint of sweet licorice-like flavor.

But when you bring cooked sunchokes and bulb fennel together in a pureed soup, something marvelous happens. That licorice flavor recedes to become subtly herbaceous, while the sunchokes harmonize perfectly with their mildly nutty richness. (I also include a potato to lend the mixture just a touch more body, as well as a large shallot for its sweetly oniony aromatic note.) The result is an elegant, beautiful soup worthy of a special dinner party, especially if you take the optional extra step of deep-frying some thinly sliced sunchokes to add a delightfully crispy garnish like miniature potato chips.

So please visit your local farmers market soon and try these unheralded stars of the vegetable world.

I hope you’ll agree with me that they were meant for each other!

SUNCHOKE AND FENNEL SOUP Serves 6 to 8 1 lemon, juiced, squeezed halves reserved 1 cup (250 mL) water 2 pounds (1 kg) sunchokes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium shallot, diced 1 pound (500 g) fennel bulb, trimmed and diced, small fronds reserved for garnish 1 medium baking potato, peeled and diced 3 cups (750 mL) vegetable stock or broth, plus extra as needed 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Coarsely ground black pepper, for garnish Sunchoke Chips (recipe follows), for optional garnish Put half of the lemon juice and a squeezed lemon half in a mixing bowl with the water. Peel and cube the sunchokes, and put the cubes in the lemon water.

Heat a stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and then the shallot and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fragrant and begin to look translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.

Drain the diced sunchokes and add them to the pot along with the potatoes, followed by the 3 cups of stock and the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potato and sunchokes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining lemon juice.

Working in batches if necessary and following the manufacturer’s instructions for pureeing hot liquids, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth; keep pureed batches in a clean bowl, and then carefully transfer the pureed soup back to the pot. Stir in more stock as needed to reach a fluid consistency you like, and gently reheat the soup over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Ladle the soup into heated serving bowls, garnishing each serving with chopped fennel fronds, coarsely ground black pepper, and, if you like, sunchoke chips.

SUNCHOKE CHIPS 1 pound (500 g) unpeeled sunchokes, scrubbed clean Vegetable oil, for deep-frying 1 tablespoon kosher salt Fill a large bowl with cold water. With a sharp knife or a mandoline, carefully cut the sunchokes into thin slices about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick, immediately dropping them into a bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Rinse and drain the slices 3 times, and pat them very dry with paper towels.

Pour enough oil into a large, deep skillet to reach a depth of about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Clip a deep-frying thermometer to the side of the skillet and heat the oil to a temperature of 375 F (190 C). Alternatively, use a countertop thermostat-controlled electric deep-fryer, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Working in batches to prevent overcrowding the skillet, fry the sunchoke slices until golden brown, stirring occasionally with a wire skimmer, 3 to 4 minutes. Using the skimmer, transfer the chips to paper towels to drain; sprinkle with some salt.

Once the chips have cooled completely, store in an airtight container at cool room temperature until needed.

(Chef Wolfgang Puck’s TV series,“Wolfgang Puck’s Cooking Class,” airs Sundays on the Food Network. Also, his latest cookbook, “Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy,” is now available in bookstores. Write Wolfgang Puck in care of Tribune Media Services Inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207) © 2020 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Page 20, The Howell Times, March 28, 2020

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