TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 17 - No. 34
In This Week’s Edition
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A Look At The Important Events That Shaped Toms River In 2021
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Community News Pages 9-13
Inside The Law Page 15
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Classifieds Page 19
The former Surf Club will be demolished and become township land. By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – Development, open space, and taxes are issues every year in town. Looking back, we will take this time to point out the biggest stories that could only happen in 2021. W hile there were some great, new things that happened, like the
opening of the skate park, there were defin it ely s ome r ou g h spots. Superintendent Politics David Healy retired from the superintendent position, with the end of 2020 as his last days. He originally came to the district in
─ Photo by Chris Lundy
2014. Thomas Gialanella was chosen as interim superintendent by the Board of Education. Previously, he had been the superintendent for Jackson and served as an interim for Brick. He also served as interim superintendent the last time Toms River had a superintendent search.
Then, retired Jackson Superintendent Stephen Genco filled in as the interim Superintendent of Toms River Schools. Two options for a permanent superintendent have become known – current assistant superintendent James Ricotta and James Altobello, (Best - See Page 7)
Downtown Offices Now Named ‘Al Dietrich Building’ By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – It was said that former Super i ntendent Albert Dietrich accomplished a lot for the district without ever wa nt i ng accolades; and maybe it was his selflessness that made people want to honor him.
Dietrich served as superintendent from 1979 until 1991, and 10 of those years were in a building downtown. The “Albert Dietrich Building” is the new name for the site at Partnership Health Center at 54 Washington Street. Currently, the business offices
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are on Hooper Avenue. Dietrich passed away last year at 85. Family, f r ie nd s, a nd t ow nship off icials came out to a ceremony in his honor. “A person that was honored as Toms River’s ‘Man of the Year,’ not once but twice,
and led the Toms River School District as superintendent until he retired,” said interim Superintendent Stephen Genco before describing how Dietrich fully embodied Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the Arena” quote. “When speaking to
people about Mr. Dietrich, they described him as a true leader who led by example. Not someone with a huge ego but as somebody who truly cared about the people he served,” said Genco. “Although I didn’t m e e t h i m ,” s a i d
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Veterans Remembered In Wreath Laying Ceremonies By Bob Vosseller TOMS RIVER – Two local ceremonies recently commemorated the loss of those who served to protect America. They were among the 2,100 locations across the country to observe Wreaths Across America. The organization’s mission is to “honor those who serve and their families, and teach future generations about the sacrifices made to preserve our freedoms.” WAA Mobile Education Exhibit Ambassador Stefan Brann told The Toms River Times that the “mission statement of Wreaths Across America is three simple words, ‘remember, honor, teach.’ When we talk about Wreaths Across America we talk about those words with emphasis on the word, ‘remember’.” (Wreath - See Page 4)
Toms River Alums Go Worldwide
By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – There were several stories of small town boys and girls making good in 2021, and several of them made it to the world stage. Todd Frazier, the former Toms River East American Little League and Toms River High School South standout earned a silver medal as a third baseman on Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics. “Playing for your country, it’s the coolest thing in the world,” Frazier said. “I did my job at 12 (in the LLWS), dominated at 12 and now I’m 35 and it’s putting America on our backs once again. I pinch myself every day.” Still a Toms River resident, Frazier had also played for other teams such as the New York (Alums - See Page 20)
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