The BRICK Times Vol. 23 - No. 37
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Facing Coastal Storms, Long-Term Solutions To Flooding SoughT
In This Week’s Edition
January 20, 2024
Mayor Sets Goals For 2024
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 7
Community News Page 8-11
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Inside The Law Page 17
Photos courtesy Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Many roads in shore areas like Bay Head were closed due to flooding. By Chris Lundy and Alyssa Riccardi JERSEY SHORE – A coastal storm that made its way across the state on January 9 had left thousands of people without power and brought severe flooding to local streets throughout Ocean and Monmouth Counties. It underscored the importance of resiliency in the face of flooding. The National Weather Service issued coastal flood warnings and
wind advisories. It noted peak records of flood heights, stating that certain areas of Ocean County reached nearly five feet of water levels. In Brick, flooding was reported on the Route 35 Spur south of Sixth Avenue according to the State Department of Transportation website 511nj.org. All lanes were closed and detoured. There was also flooding south of Normandy Beach. Parts of Brick’s residential
communities such as Cherry Quay and Shore Acres also had roads filled with water. Many cars in Bay Head were partially underwater. Streets were closed off in coastal communities near the Barnegat Bay, including Seaside Heights and Seaside Park, the Ocean County Sherrif’s Office reported. Many roads in Toms River were affected by the storm, with NJDOT reporting sever-
al streets f looded. A major intersection at Fischer Boulevard and Route 37 was reported flooded, with the right shoulder closed and the ramp closed. Resident s sha red online how multiple roads in Silverton were flooded the following afternoon due to the rain as well as the high tide from the lagoons and bay. Other areas in Ocean County like Berkeley
(Flooding - See Page 4)
Miss Liberty Leaves A Legacy Of Fun And Generosity
File Photo Sondra Fortunato, better known as Miss Liberty, was photographed here in the 2017 Halloween parade.
By Bob Vosseller OCEAN COUNTY – She could be described as bubbly, eccentric, vivacious and beautiful, but one thing for sure: Sondra Fortunato, 75, also known as “Miss Liberty,” was larger than life. Miss Liberty was a special friend to Jersey
Shore Online/Micromedia Publications and our thoughts are with her family and many friends at this time. She was once the unofficial cheerleader of the New York Giants and known for various meetups with celebrities and sports personalities in that role. She was a resident of
Toms River and once worked as a kindergarten teacher as well as a model. She was well known throughout Ocean County, New Jersey and beyond. Her passing was noted in national media. She loved the description of her being a “home (Miss Liberty See Page 5)
Photo courtesy Brick Township Mayor Lisa Crate was sworn into her first full term. By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - The township’s first elected female Mayor Lisa Crate took a few minutes during the most recent council meeting to share her vision for the township in the coming year. She said 2024 is “a new year filled with potential and positive change and an opportunity to have a big impact in small ways.” The mayor said she believes our society is in the midst of a mental health crisis - that the society has lost its way. “But we’re also a society with the potential for greatness,” she said. Brick Township has ma ny feat u res t hat make it a great place to live, which she wants to build upon, such as investing in township parks and access to a myriad of recreational
athletic programs, which she hopes to expand to include the arts. The township currently has more police officers on the street than during any other time in history, and the mayor said Brick will continue to invest in public safety services, such as community policing. “Our officers can connect with the public and develop relationships that prevent crime and help educate all of us on the small things we can do to be safe,” Mayor Crate said. There are also more E M Ts (e m e r g e n c y medical technicians) than at any other time in Brick’s history, and later this year the department will be moving into a new facility on Aurora Place, which is in the same building as the new Senior (Mayor- See Page 4)
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