TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 19 - No. 37
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
January 20, 2024
Details Given For Park At Ciba-Geigy
Facing Coastal Storms, Long-Term Solutions To Flooding Sought
BREAKING NEWS @
Photo courtesy Dana Tormollen jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 8
Community News Pages 9-15
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 20
Inside The Law Page 23
Coastal flooding hit areas like Island Heights hard. 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 not-
ed 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 Route 37 was reported filled with water. flooded, with the right Many cars in Bay shoulder closed and the Head were partially un- ramp closed. derwater. Streets were Resident s sha red closed off in coastal online how multiple communities near the roads in Silverton were Barnegat Bay, includ- flooded the following ing Seaside Heights afternoon due to the and Seaside Park, the rain as well as the high Ocean County Sherrif’s tide from the lagoons Office reported. and bay. Many roads in Toms Other areas in Ocean River were affected County like Berkeley by the storm, with NJ- Township were flooded DOT reporting sever- with debris from the al streets f looded. A marsh and had downed major intersection at trees and poles. Mayor Fischer Boulevard and (Flooding - See Page 4)
Screenshot by Chris Lundy The site is split into categories that have different needs. By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – Improvements will be made to the former Ciba-Geigy site and then its current owners will find a partner to take over its operation, according to a officials at a recent virtual meeting. The current owner, BASF, will preserve 1,000 acres of the site, while being allowed to develop or sell the remaining 255 acres, wh ich is zoned i ndustrial.
Of the 1,000 acres to be preserved, about 375 acres will see ecological restoration projects, such as freshwater wetlands, restoration of riparian areas, flood plain and wetland enhancements, creation of upland grasslands, pollinator habitat, and an environmental education center. There will be a 130acre solar farm generating 27 megawatts. BASF will not be the (Ciba - See Page 7)
Miss Liberty Leaves A Legacy Of New Leadership Chosen For School Board Fun And Generosity
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 grown celebrity.” Her appearances at special events such as the annual Toms River Halloween Parade always brought cheers as she traveled on a float or a car. One year, there was a pint-sized version of herself in the parade in the form of a young girl who emulated her Miss Liberty attire and famous decorated car. (Miss Liberty - See Page 5)
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By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – A new school board president will oversee a year that will have a lot of controversy, including a vote on whether to accept a new town to join the district. At the beginning of the year, a reorganization meeting, which took
less than 20 minutes, was held to go through some formalities. First, the results of the election were read into the record. Then, the winners of the November election - newcomers Paola Pascarella and James Capone - were sworn in. Incumbent Ashley Lamb, who also
won, was absent. There was a small disagreement on who should lead the board. The board president runs the meetings and sets the agenda. The vice president takes over these duties in the absence of the president. (BOE - See Page 4)
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