TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 17 - No. 30
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Flapjack Fundraiser Makes For A Pleasant Breakfast
Food Drive Spreads The Joy Of Sharing
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 9-15
Inside The Law Page 14
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Classifieds Page 21
It was all hands on deck as fire company volunteers made breakfast. By Chris Lundy pany held its 75th flap- ant Plains. There was a TOMS RIVER – It jack breakfast this fall. small line of people who wasn’t a five-alarm fire Usually held twice a came to pick up their that brought all them all year, it’s a wonderful meals. Some customers to the fire house. No, it fundraiser for the de- came from as far as was instead a morning partment. Jackson and Monmouth of the firefighters makChristian Hafner, pres- County. Maybe it was ing breakfast for their ident of the company, word of mouth. Maybe neighbors. said that there were fire- these people used to live The Pleasant Plains fighters going out on de- in Toms River. Maybe Volunteer Fire Com- livery throughout Pleas- they had seen one of
─Photo by Chris Lundy the fliers. Regardless, the company was very grateful for the people who came out to support them and the nice, warm breakfast on a fall day was a way to say “thank you.” There was an increase in breakfasts going out
(Flapjack - See Page 5)
Concerns Rise Over Bank Closures
By Alyssa Riccardi TOMS RIVER – With many Ocean County residents, especially senior citizens, concerned about the increase in brick-andmortar bank branch closures, officials have passed a resolution asking banking officials to review the practice. “Many seniors and business owners have voiced their concerns
to the Ocean County Office of Senior Services and the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs that their local bank branches, which they have patronized for years, are suddenly closed,” Ocean County Commissioner Joseph H. Vicari, Chairman of Senior Services, said. “And, bank employees are redirecting them
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to ‘nearby’ branches which, based on the size of Ocean County, may be miles away, forcing them to drive further distances. “Our seniors have worked their entire lives and deserve to enjoy their retirement w it hout t he a d d e d stress of finding and traveling to a bank far from their homes,” Vicari said, who request-
ed the Board’s support for the resolution. On November 17, residents and members of the Ocean County Tourism and Business Development Advisory Council attended the meeting of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners to express their concerns about the bank closures and how it will affect seniors, low-income residents
and also businesses. “Ocean County is home to more than 200,000 senior residents, many of whom are over the age of 85 and often rely on caregivers to assist with their day-to-day routines, which can also make them more vulnerable to elder fraud,” Vicari said. “When you close a bank branch
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(Banks - See Page 4)
By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – There was a lot of joy in the air – and in the airwaves – as a huge amount of food and money was collected for people less fortunate. Local radio stations WJRZ and WRAT have an annual Share the Joy drive which collected food, pet supplies and more. Matt Knight, from WJRZ, said the radio station has been running this donation drive for about 20 years. The donations go to Fulfill, Jersey Shore Animal Shelter, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Coastal and Northern New Jersey. They broadcasted from a temporary stage set up in the parking lot of the ShopRite on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River. To the side of the stage was a 50-foot truck Pepsi lent them to fill. Normally, Knight said, he’d be able to see people from the DJ booth. But this year, there were so many donations, it was like a wall of food. (Food - See Page 4)
Officer Thanks Hospital For His COVID Care
By Chris Lundy CAMDEN – A Manchester police officer who recovered from a coma returned to Cooper University Hospital to thank those who took care of him. Lt. Antonio Ellis spent cont racted COVID-19 in spring of 2020. His battle made headlines as the community rallied to support him with the phrase “364 Strong,” named after his badge number. He finally made it home after his hospital stay and rehab on June 17, 2020. He received a special escort home by his brothers and sisters in blue. “Although I spent almost 45 days here at Cooper, most of it I spent in a coma, which means I didn’t have a chance to properly thank a lot of you when I left,” (Care - See Page 6)
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