The JACKSON Times Vol. 22 - No. 5
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Lithuanian Festival Returns To Jackson
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Inside The Law Page 10
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Dear Pharmacist Page 15
Classifieds Page 22
─Photo courtesy Central NJ chapter, American-Lithuanian Community Inc. A group of attendees at this year’s Lithuanian Festival in Jackson enjoy the day’s activities. The festival was sponsored by the Central New Jersey chapter of the American-Lithuanian Community Inc. Street and East Veter- setting proved perfect It is normally held on By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – After a ans Highway, which is for the annual Lith- June 24 and the celyear’s absence due to actually based in Jack- uanian Festival. The ebration comes from the pandemic, an eth- son, worked through event is based around a mix of Christianity nic tradition returned the occasional rai n St. Jonas Day/ Rasa and Paganism. Lithuato the Lakewood Es- that they experienced Day, t he d aw n d ay nia was one of the last tonian House recently. during the afternoon celebration marking countries in Europe the longest day/short- to convert from pagan At t e nde e s of t he and into the evening. Despite the rain, the est night of the year. (Festival - See Page 4) event held at 4 Cross
Governor: Masks Won’t Be Mandated In Schools
By Bob Vosseller NEW JERSEY – Answering a question being posed by parents at many recent school board meetings across the state, students will not be required to wear masks in schools unless the district mandates it this fall, according to Governor Phil Murphy.
He ma de t he a nnouncement during a recent press conference. Full in-person instruction is also being mandated by the state this fall. The New Jersey Department of Health is prepared to announce updated health and safety guidelines for the upcoming school
ye a r, a c c ord i ng t o the governor. He said he was encouraging he a lt h of f ic i a l s t o “work collaboratively with the community on a masking policy that works for everyone.” He noted those that feel more comfor table wearing masks would be able to do so. He also said that
the state anticipates updated guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) later in the summer. New Jersey will consider any updates from the federal agency prior to the first day of the new school year. Last spring the governor indicated that stu-
dents and school staff in the state would most likely have to wear masks when school resumes in the fall with some f lexibility for high school students who have been vaccinated. Most high school students are expected to have been vaccinated (Masks - See Page 5)
July 3, 2021
Neighbors Complain About “Prayer Houses”
By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – Several houses in residentially zoned neighborhoods have been identified by neighbors as being used for purposes of religious services in the last few years and they want to know why no action has been taken. Keary and Michael Smith live right next to a house on East Connecticut Concourse Road which they say has been used as a shul for months now. They have observed construction work at that house for more than a year. They say it is not being used as a residence or occupied during the week but for religious purposes on weekends. “The town is sitting on a cease-and-desist order for this residence with absolutely no explanation to me or anyone else. I feel that my town has let me down and that after living here for 22 years and paying taxes and being a good citizen means nothing to them,” Keary Smith said. She also told The Jackson Times that “my neighbors can do illegal work continually after being issued a stop work order. They take the sticker down and continue with the work. They are still there every weekend. On holidays, 50 to 70 people are chanting, singing in there.” “This is not about any one religion. No matter what type of worship was going on it doesn’t matter. It is zoned as a residence,” she added. The Smiths have noted that during weekends, an abundance of cars continue to be parked on the streets near that home. By Sunday, those cars are gone until the next weekend. During recent meetings resident Sheldon Hofstein has come before the governing body informing them of code violations and asking questions about what is being done to address them. Recently, Hofstein said a house on South County Line Road was being used for the same purpose as the one that the Smiths have complained about and that it was in violation of township code. According to a court document, attorney Sieglinde K. Rath of Storzer & Associates, will appear as counsel on behalf of defendant Moshe Dovid Perlstein concerning one case of an alleged prayer house use that the township has filed an injunction request on. Hofstein asked if the township might be (Prayer - See Page 4)
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