The MANCHESTER Times Vol. 29 - No. 39
In This Week’s Edition
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Community News
Manchester’s 2023 Marked By Changes In Leadership
By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – A new mayor, t wo new council members, a returning councilman and a new business administrator were all part of the start of 2023, a year that would also see the unexpected exit of the school superintendent. It was a who’s who of Ocean County GOP as well as a large turnout of residents who came out to witness the dawn of a new era for the township during its 2023 reorgani-
zation meeting. Robert Arace was sworn in as mayor and his running mates Roxanne Conniff and Joseph Hankins were sworn into council. While Manchester leaders have been politically conservative, the town is officially nonpartisan. This is in response to former Mayor Joseph Portash Photo courtesy Manchester Township and associates ripping off the town for millions in New Egypt Bible Baptist Church Pastor/Plumstthe 1980s and early 1990s. ed Township Committeeman Dominick Cuozzo, Officials had fought for left, swears in new Manchester Township Mayor decades to keep out party Robert Arace who is joined by his wife Deanna. rule, however, Arace’s win was seen as a (Changes See Page 8)
Pages 9-13
Photo by Denise Maynard (Left) Fire towered over homes and trees.
Dr. Izzy Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 19
Classifieds Page 22
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Photo by Stephanie Faughnan ( R i g ht) Pe ople’s homes at the Surf & Stream campground were demolished after they were evicted, some with nowhere to go.
Photo courtesy Manchester Schools Interim Superintendent Diane Pedroza reached out to the Manchester community regarding her new role within the township school district.
Chaplains, Cops Hold Toy Drive
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER – In a plot twist that could rival the best crime dramas, the recent spectacle of multiple police cars converging on “Steals and Deals” turned out to be a scene of goodwill. What might have looked like a SWAT team was actually a heartwarming undercover operation – a toy distribution extravaganza for local kids. Dozens of officers from 15 Ocean County law enforcement agencies and
the Howell Police Department responded to the call. Although the cops themselves were armed and ready with shopping carts, authorities have confirmed more of the roster of their lead accomplices. Chaplain Yisroel Bursztyn of the National Chaplains Association said the toys were intended for law enforcement agencies to distribute and create memories for life. The National Chaplains Association masterminded
the orchestration of the holiday heist in collaboration with Wellpoint, formerly known as Amerigroup Community Care, and the Steals and Deals store. “The purpose is very simple,” said Bursztyn. “Children deserve everything – no matter how much we give them, we should be giving them more. Children all want toys.” Dr. Patrick Fox, who serves a s Wel lp oi nt /A me r ig r ou p (Toy Drive - See Page 5)
Photo by Stephanie Faughnan Law enforcement personnel had a good time shopping for children in need.
December 30, 2023
Spreading Cheer One Cup At A Time
Photo Courtesy Manchester Schools A Manchester Middle School student offers some coffee as part of Mustang Joe’s Coffee Cart event. By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER –You can’t beat a good cup of coffee. Members of the small group instructional classes at Manchester Township Middle School know this fact because they have been running a weekly coffee and treat cart for the staff. Students operate the Mustang Joe’s Coffee Cart as a small business and the staff look forward to enjoying the weekly visit. This month, Mustang Joe’s took their cart to new places and situations to spread some holiday cheer. Renee Strange and Corinne Stinemire’s small group instruction classes set up the yearly Staff Cookie Exchange with Mustang Joe’s. They also held a holiday autism shirt fundraiser for Mustang Mentors. Recently, students from Mustang Joe’s welcomed the school district’s bus drivers upon their arrival at MTMS for their dismissal runs. The students set up a complimentary cocoa and cookies cart to wish them happy holidays and thank the school district’s bus drivers for all that they do. Mustang Joe’s is an opportunity for students in the small group instructional classes to learn many life and business skills. When the staff places an order, or when they are requested at events, this gives the students time to organize, prepare, and fill the orders. On event day, their classroom is buzzing with students who are busy freshly brewing hot and iced coffee, making lemonade (Cheer - See Page 5)
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