The BRICK Times
Vol. 20 - No. 32
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Season’s Greetings From Brick’s Christmas House
Looking Back On 2020 - The Good And The Bad
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 10
Dear Pharmacist Page 11
Classifieds Page 15
Inside The Law Page 17
─Photo by Judy Smestad-Nunn Thousands of lights adorn this Downey Avenue home. By Judy Smestad-Nunn rately decorated for the nations of dog or cat grammed a computer BRICK - A steady first annual Casqueira food, toys, blankets or with 32 channels to turn on and off everystream of cars drive Christmas Light Show, pet beds. The couple said they thing that shimmers slowly and sometimes located at 843 Downey stop in front of Emanu- Avenue, near the inter- got the idea for their and twinkles.” She also spent about el and Melissa Casque- section of Hooper Av- “Lightorama” from the iro’s house, which ap- enue and Drum Point Ferone Family Christ- 100 hours to program mas Light Show, held five songs to sync up pears to have every Road. The family is collect- each year in Toms Riv- their lights to music square inch covered in blinking, twinkling ing monetary donations er, which raises money they transmit through for the animal shelter for the Children’s Hos- radio station 103.1 FM. Christmas lights. The software costs But that isn’t all: their at Popcorn Park Zoo, pital of Toms River. “We started November about $1,200, and that detached garage and Rock 2 Adopt. They yard are also elabo- are also collecting do- 1,” Melissa said. “I pro(House - See Page 4)
First Nurse In NJ Gets Vaccine By Bob Vosseller NEW JERSEY – Not everyone gets a shot in the arm on her birthday and smiles about it but for University Hospital nurse Maritza Beniquez it was a historic occasion. She clapped and smiled, becoming the first healthcare worker in New Jersey to receive the
COVID-19 vaccine on December 14. She told Governor Phil Mur phy, colleagues and hospital administrators that “it is like the light at the end of the tunnel” as everyone present wished her a happy 56th birthday and congratulated her. “It is my birthday today. This is a great way
to celebrate my birthday,” Beniquez said. “I am very excited, very excited. I couldn’t wait for this moment to hit the country and New Jersey. I am so happy.” University Hospital, based in Newark, was one of six in the state to receive the Pfizer vaccine that day. An additional 53 hospitals in
the state were expected to receive their supply later in the week. T he hospit al lost 11 staff members to COVID-19. It treated more than 1,200 coronavirus patients, 269 of whom died. “This is a big day,” the governor said. The shipments were part of the first wave Op-
December 26, 2020
eration Warp Speed, a partnership with the federal government that helped bring the vaccines to healthcare facilities across the U.S. Benitez’s immunization marks the fi rst of millions to come in the next six months for New Jersey residents, starting with healthcare (Nurse - See Page 7)
By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - 2020 was a year like no other in modern times, when a COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world and changed everything, from the way we live and interact with each other, to the economic, political, religious and financial systems everywhere. By mid-December, the USA had suffered over 300,000 deaths, and at the same time there were over 1.6 million deaths worldwide. In New Jersey, there have been some 18,000 deaths. On March 28, Governor Phil Murphy issued a stay at home order in an effort to contain the virus for the state’s nine million residents. Murphy lifted the order on June 9, raising the limits on indoor and outside dining. Other restrictions remained in place and the governor urged everyone to continue to wear masks and maintain social distancing. (Recap - See Page 13)
First Responders Save Life Of Heart Attack Victim
By Chris Lundy BRICK – It could have been a very different holiday season for a local family. On Halloween, Joe Holler was mowing his lawn when he began to feel weak. When the pain and weakness worsened, the 63-year-old feared a heart attack. He went inside, took a baby aspirin, and his wife called 9-1-1. Brick Township EMTs Joseph Sharkey and Brian Schwarz arrived within six minutes, police said. Patrolman Daniel Fogarty arrived one minute later. Holler started to lose consciousness. The first responders rushed him into the ambulance where he went into full cardiac arrest. He was revived by chest compressions and two shocks from the defibrillator. He was (Saved - See Page 4)
Free Transportation • In-Home & Outpatient PT Physical Therapy Center
1-(855)-3ALLCARE • www.AllCarePTC.com
BRICK/SILVERTON LOCATION 74 Brick Blvd. • Prof. Pavilion • Brick, NJ NEW BRICK/RAMTOWN LOCATION 34 Lanes Mill Rd. • Brick, NJ