TIMES
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS, INC.
T H E H OW E L L
Vol. 13 - No. 14
Your FREE Weekly Hometown Newspaper | Serving Howell and Farmingdale
New Curriculum Initiatives Greet Back-To-Schoolers
–Photo courtesy Howell Twp. Schools Paraprofessionals complete training sessions leading up to the first day at the Howell school district. By Courtney McCann and want to do right by them.” and Reading workshop which has both HOWELL – Vacationers may be sad This year the K-8 school district will be individual and guided instruction for that summer has come to a close. But for focusing its efforts on a number of new teachers and students. Isola says the Howell Township School Superintendent curriculum initiatives, particularly in the program, which has already been impleJoseph Isola, these early weeks of Sep- areas of math and literacy. mented in third through eighth grades in tember are something he looks forward This year the district is implementing a the district, has been shown to be a very to every year. new foundational reading skills program good approach to literacy by engaging “I love the energy at the start of the for students in kindergarten through second children at all levels. school year,” said Isola. “I’m excited. Our grade. This includes the use of the Wilson “It develops new readers by giving teachers are excited. We just love our kids Fundations multi-sensory phonics program (School - See Page 4)
Township Proposes New Fines To Address Housing Code Violations
By Courtney McCann HOWELL – Housing code violators will come under heavier scrutiny and face harsher penalties pending the approval of a new ordinance introduced at the Howell Township Council’s recent meeting. The new ordinance would require annual inspections for rental properties, specifically single-family homes that are being rented out. The ordinance will be put up
for approval at the council’s September 12 meeting. The ordinance comes at a time when towns throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties have been struggling with problems resulting from absentee landlords and properties with dangerous code violations. One of the more noteworthy of these incidents occurred back in February when a fire destroyed a two-story home in Lakewood
that was illegally operating as a dormitory. Officials believed more than 24 people were living in the single-family dwelling at the time. During the public comment portion of the August 15 meeting, Howell resident Larissa O’Donnell raised concerns about enforcing the new ordinance, citing a property of rental bungalows and a shuttered swim club (Fines - See Page 18)
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Inside This Week’s Edition
Business Directory ........................... 18 Classifieds ........................................ 19 Community News ......................... 8-11 Dear Pharmacist .............................. 14 Fun Page ......................................... 20 Government ...................................... 7 Inside the Law ................................. 21 Letters To The Editor ......................... 6 Wolfgang ........................................ 23 WWW.MICROMEDIAPUBS.COM
September 10, 2016
Councilman Calls For Action On Howell’s Homeless
By Charles Daye HOWELL – Families are living in the woods around Howell. But while the local homeless may keep no address, it’s a situation that needs to be addressed, said local officials. “Something needs to be addressed (about the homeless situation) and I don’t know exactly what,” said Councilman Robert Walsh, as he spoke to the Town Council at the August 15 meeting about the homeless situation in Howell. “There are some different ways we are exploring right now. We are looking at trying to fi nd them temporary housing. We are going to explore the Department of Community Affairs and fair housing and see if we can do something to get affordable home credits. We are exploring a lot of different things and it’s going to take a little bit of time but it’s not something that I think we can take forever with,” he said. Walsh said he had an informal meeting with the Mayor, different representatives from faith-based organizations and nonprofits, community leaders and the head of the PAL Sergeant Chris Hill the week before the Town Council met. It was brought to their attention that families had been living in different sections of the woods across town. “We did a little homework, we confirmed it,” said Walsh regarding families living in the woods in town, but did not confirm where. “We’re supposedly a civilized nation in the middle of a recovery and good times. We have 50, 60 people that are homeless that we know of in Howell, living in the woods. What’s going to happen in the next down turn? It is a concern of mine and not just as a public servant but as a human being,” said the councilman. “I think our first obligations in life are the safety and well being of people. I do have a deep concern like what would happen in the dead of winter with these families and these kids.” (Homeless - See Page 5)