2022-12-10 - The Toms River Times

JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM

Author Pulls Back The Tapestry On Living A Religious Life With Illness

By Chris Lundy

TOMS RIVER – Chronic illness is something most people don’t want to talk about, so M. Rose Peluso wrote a book about it.

Her book, “Behind The Tapestry,” is subtitled “My Discovery Of God’s Grace Amidst Chronic Pain And Loss.” It’s available in most online book mar kets. It chronicles a life dealing with serious issues while also working to become a nun. It’s a personal story but it appeals to a wider audience.

She suffers widespread, chronic pain from pudendal neuropathy, named after the nerve that runs through the pelvic floor. “If you’re having a horri ble day, sitting is almost unbearable,” she said.

A chronic condition will take up a huge amount of your life. If you don’t have one, you just don’t understand how much it impacts everything. Lots of people don’t want to hear about ill ness, but Peluso won’t suffer in silence any longer.

She left her great job as a graphic de signer and entered the convent in 1999. It’s a long process to become a nun, as you move up through the stations. She became a sister in 2002. The disease struck in 2001, and she recalled that it

(Author - See Page 4)

Shelters Caring For Animals Rescued From Brick Home

By Bob Vosseller

OCEAN COUNTYThe 175 malnourished dogs and cats evacuat ed from a home at 111 Arrowhead Park Drive in Brick Township are receiving care from the Ocean County Health Department.

Ocean County Health Coordinator Dan Reg enye said the depart

ment was taking care of 175 of the 180 animals brought in by multi ple agencies when the Brick Township Police uncovered the illegal operation and made two arrests.

Early in the process, 30 dogs and 17 cats were brought to the Northern Ocean Coun ty Animal Facility in

Jackson while 17 dogs and eight cats were taken to the Southern Ocean County Ani mal Shelter in Mana hawkin, while 81 dogs and 12 cats were trans ported to the county’s Barnegat facility (for merly Barnegat Ken nels) which is generally used to shelter animals (Animals - See Page 5)

New Retail Coming To Mall Property

By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER

– You might have noticed land being cleared on Bay Avenue near the Ocean County Mall. This is the start of a proposed retail building that will be built there. However, the tenants are not yet set in stone.

The 12,000 square foot retail building will

have 49 parking spac es, according to town ship documents. There would be access from “both Bay Avenue and Mall Access Drive.” There are also plans for a drainage system, utilities, landscaping, and lighting.

The property is ap proximately 2.43 acres. (Retail - See Page 20)

─Photo by Chris Lundy

M. Rose Peluso hopes her book will help others learn to live with faith through hardship.

─Photo by Chris Lundy Land was cleared recently for new businesses.

Author: Continued From Page 1

was soon after the attacks on Septem ber 11. She was praying for the victims when the burning sensation began.

“I remember being in the chapel and seeing the Lord and the Blessed Sacrament and said ‘OK, Lord, what changed?’”

That question would take a long time to answer.

“It’s typical for people to go years without a diagnosis,” she explained. It’s often a process of elimination. One test after another would rule some thing out as the months drag on. “You look very healthy but you feel pain.”

She changed names and some details in the book to protect the sisters. That might be for the best. Some of them weren’t very supportive. She was told “You’re not praying enough.” They didn’t think she deserved special con siderations, such as a menthol seat to ease the pain.

Some, of course, were very support ive – but those weren’t the ones in roles of authority. The message was something that people with chronic conditions often face: “We don’t want to hear about it anymore.” She was encouraged to smile through it, even though her body made her want to cry.

“I had to suffer silently with my pain. It was more important to me to become a sister,” she said.

Peluso was born and raised Catholic, but religion wasn’t a huge part of her upbringing. “You went to church and you prayed when you wanted some thing like God was Santa Claus.” It wasn’t until a prayer meeting in the early 90s that unlocked the mission in her.

“I never felt like I fit in until I was called to religious life,” she said. Healing, in this sense, was spiritual as well as medical.

There was also a concept that you can offer up your suffering to God – you make that sacrifice to share the bur den of someone else who is suffering. In this case, pain doesn’t have to be a stop sign on the road of life. It’s a redemptive power. You are easing the pain of someone else in the world.

There were a number of treatments over the years, including diet, pre scriptions, injections, and back sur gery. “It was a constant roller coaster of getting my expectations up,” she said. These plans didn’t even cure her; they just eased the pain for a bit.

Eventually, it was time to leave the convent.

“It was almost audible, like I could feel a hand on my shoulder, saying ‘You don’t need to stay here to love me.’ All of a sudden, I felt that heavi ness go away.” However, she was in a difficult position. She gave up her belongings when she joined the sis terhood. The only clothing she had (Author - See Page 22)

─Photo by Chris Lundy

M. Rose Peluso took courses and read books on how to write in order to pen this memoir.

in emergency situations, he said.

The animals were first found in a ranch style residence in Brick Township being kept in stacked crates. Regenye told Jersey Shore Online.com that he witnessed improvement in the animals who are being well taken care of at county facilities.

Regenye said that law enforcement agencies wanted to keep the animals as centralized as possible due to the continuing criminal inves tigation. The breed and size of the dogs range from chihuahuas to German shepherds, all of whom are now in need of adoption.

Brick Police, in their initial release, referred to the situation as a puppy mill. Later media reports referred to it as an animal rescue operation that went wrong.

Aimee J. Lonczak, 49, the owner of Crazy Rescue Ladies Inc. and Michele Nycz, 58, lived at the Arrowhead Park Drive residence with a 16-year-old child. The two women were arrested by Brick Patrolman Scott Smith who serves as the department’s humane law enforcement officer on animal cruelty charges and endan germent of a child.

Regenye wanted to dispel some commentary he read on social media about the OCHD not having the ability and facilities to handle this number of animals coming in. “We instituted our emergency response plan for animals related to this so not only do we have our Northern and Southern facilities in Jackson and in Stafford but we have the Barnegat Kennels which we operate

in an emergency functioning capacity.

“We housed about 225 animals there during Superstorm Sandy,” he said. Some staff were moved from other locations as they were needed. Some came in from vacation or days off to help care for the animals.

He said, “that is where the bulk of these an imals are. We have 100 of the 180 at that one facility alone which is strictly the animals from this situation. The balance was split between the Northern and Southern facilities and there is no concern of our being full. That is one of the challenges with it but I can assure that the animals we had prior to this situation and those that were brought in on Saturday are all in an adequate facility and getting care and treatment.

“Some of the animals had matted fur. Two were found onsite deceased. There was a couple that had to be transported immediately for urgent vet care. The vast majority were stable enough to be transported to one of our three facilities,” Regenye said.

“We had one situation on Saturday when I was down there that one had to be sent over to an on-call veterinary service to get some treatment. There are different stages. There are animals that are ready to go tomorrow (for adoption) if we had the green light in terms of temperament. We were vaccinating. A lot of these animals were flea infested, worms in the stool so we are deworming. We’re not going to put these animals back out on the street. We are going to find them homes and rescues and we want to put them out in proper shape,” he said. The county facilities have volunteers walking the dogs at outdoor pens.

“I was down at each of the three sites on Sat

urday, Sunday and yesterday (December 5) and there is a difference between each of those three days. They are really coming around. They are getting their personality back. Obviously they are a little skittish and scared but I really think they are on a good path and track to make a full recovery. It is good news going forward,” Regenye added.

He added, that it was a good thing that the situation was identified at the time it was by the township and law enforcement. “They did what they had to do and they are in good hands now and we are looking forward to getting these dogs and cats into homes and rescues.

“Most of these (animal) hording situations are well intentioned at the beginning but it quickly escalates. We promote responsible pet owner ship with spaying and neutering. We recom

mend microchipping. The animals who come out of our shelters are spayed or neutered and microchipped and get vaccinations,” he added.

Regenye said the OCHD appreciates the great response of donations of towels, blankets and other items. “We had to put a trailer at each two of our facilities to handle the amount of items coming in. We are pulling what we need from each of those facilities and pulling the trailer over to Barnegat to meet the need of the animals there,” he said.

Regenye said that those wishing to make finan cial donations toward the treatment of these an imals, there is an animal health trust fund. Send a check payable to the Ocean County Health Department, 175 Sunset Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08755. In the subject line, write Animal Health Trust Fund or Brick hoarding situation.

Student Ambassador Club At Intermediate North Making Its Mark

TOMS RIVER – Already, 26 students have joined Intermediate North’s new ly-formed Student Ambassador Club, which has a goal to provide a welcoming environment and friendly faces to new students. So far, so good.

The Student Ambassador Club meets after school to brainstorm and develop ways to help new students, 79 of them so far this year, feel welcome at the school. These sessions led to club’s initial formal interaction with new students, which took place before Thanksgiving break in the school’s popular Instructional Media Center (IMC) during lunch periods. The ambassadors presented a short slideshow with information about Intermediate North, and engaged in a “Get to Know You” activity to break the ice and start forming relationships.

Better yet, some of the Student Ambas sador Club’s members speak a second

language, and so the club has a mission to include and engage students who are part of the school’s ESL (English as a second language) program.

In addition to the lunch program, the school’s teachers utilized the first weeks of the year to identify and recommend a “Homeroom Student Ambassador” to the guidance office. These students will be the contact for the guidance office when a new student enters Intermediate North, and will work directly with those new students to help them find and access their lock ers, get around the building, and answer any questions during those complex and sometimes scary first days and weeks of navigating through a new school.

“We are very proud of our student am bassadors who have really embraced wel coming our new students, and being that friendly face for their start at Intermediate North,” said club advisor Kristin Renkin.

─Photo courtesy Toms River School s

s potlight o n g overnment

EPA Awards Nearly $169M For Water Infrastructure Projects

Capitol Comments

Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) announced that the U.S. Envi ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded nearly $169 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to New Jersey for water infrastructure improvements that will help communities access clean, safe and reliable drinking water, increase resilience, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, clean up pollution, and safeguard vital waterways.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law pres ents a unique opportunity to provide his torical amounts of funding over five years for critical water infrastructure projects, especially in underserved communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This is just the beginning, and we look forward to providing additional Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for this critical work to New Jersey in the years ahead.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 2022 funding allocation awards are distributed through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) - over $73 million through the Clean Water SRF and over $95 million through the Drink ing Water SRF for a total of $169 million. The Clean Water SRF primarily funds wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. These funds supplement nearly $48 million in regular funding to New Jersey’s Clean Water SRF program in fiscal year (FY) 2022.

The EPA has awarded New Jersey a total of over $95 million in FY 2022 grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through the Drinking Water SRF, which includes $31 million for supplemental drinking water projects, $48 million to identify and replace lead service lines, and nearly $17 million to address emerg ing contaminants like PFAS. The funding supplements approximately $12 million in regular funding to New Jersey’s Drinking Water SRF program in FY 2022.

New Jersey has submitted and obtained EPA’s approval of its plans for the use of the FY 2022 funding. These grants will continue to be awarded, on a rolling, state-by-state basis, as more states receive approval throughout FY 2023; states will also receive awards over the course of the next four years. Once grants are awarded, state programs will begin to deliver the funds as grants and loans to communities across their state.

“I was proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill last year. This addi tional funding will move our state closer to ensuring every New Jerseyan has safe and clean drinking water in their homes, schools, and businesses,” said Sen. Menendez. “Our state and municipalities need federal support to upgrade our water infrastructure and I’ll continue fighting for the resources we need to improve water quality and ensure the health and well-be ing of New Jersey’s families.”

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure, and it will do much more than just fix our crumbling roads and bridges,” said Sen. Booker. “Communities all across New Jersey need resources to replace their aging water infra structure, which is why I proudly worked to deliver these resources. We know that disadvantaged communities disproportion ately bear the impact of contaminants in water, from PFAS to lead exposure. Over the next five years, this historic infusion of federal funds will allow New Jersey to provide an unprecedented amount of funding to projects that will replace lead pipes, improve drinking water, and update wastewater infrastructure across the state.”

“Bipartisan Infrastructure Law fund ing from EPA is helping to power New Jersey’s Water Infrastructure Investment Plan, enabling the Murphy Administration to reach even more communities with needed improvements to drinking water and wastewater systems,” said New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “Together, we can ensure that generations of New Jerseyans receive reliably clean drinking water and enjoy fishable and swimmable waterways free of pollution – creating thousands of good-paying, family-sustaining jobs in the process.”

U.S. Representative Andy Kim said: “When I voted for the bipartisan infra structure bill, I knew that projects like these would change people’s lives and give them faith that the water coming into their house to drink, shower, brush their teeth, and wash their dishes would be clean and safe. This also brings investments in good paying New Jersey jobs, pollution cleanup, more resources for desperately needed flood mitigation in both Burlington and Ocean counties, and ecosystem restoration to help create healthy animal and marine habitats from the Delaware River to the Jersey Shore. I’m glad to see this important work getting underway and look forward to more infrastructure projects coming to New Jersey soon.”

HANDS FOR ALL

A Division of HOMES FOR ALL, INC. A Not-For-Profit Affordable Housing Developer 309 Hooper Ave. • Toms River, NJ 08753 Tel: 732.286.7929 • Fax: 732.286.9698

Senator

OPINIONS & COMMENTARY

e ditorial

Time Is Never On Our Side

Big life moments al ways mark the passage of time. They make us stop us in the middle of our obligations and habits and say “oh, things are changing and they’re never gonna be the same.”

I had a few of them hap pen in quick succession recently. The first was a good one. My daugh ter went to her friend’s quinceañera. There were a group of girls who had been friends since kindergarten through Girl Scouts and now they were all in high school.

Next was my uncle’s death. Richie was a tall, strong, vigorous man who was always active and never slowed down. We used to call him Richie the whale (not a size thing) because he would swim back and forth beyond the breakers at the beach for long periods of time. This year, he descended quickly into dementia before a stroke put him in the hospital. My theory is that in the beginning of the year, when his mind started to decline, he also had a stroke that no one noticed. It makes sense but there’s nothing to be done about it either way.

Two people my age died within weeks of each other. One was a former co-worker whose obitu ary asked for donations to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alli ance. The other was a high school friend who had a skinny build but didn’t eat right or ex ercise. Heart attack in his 40s.

Unfortunately, it’s the bad life moments that make us reflect more. Maybe I’m just past the age of going to weddings and baby showers, and

death is the only life mo ment left. Is retirement a life moment? For those lucky enough to do so, I guess it is.

Life moments are usu ally followed by moti vation. I’m going to eat better. Exercise. Take up that hobby I’ve always meant to. No one comes home from a funeral and thinks “I’m going to spend more time on my phone.”

Obviously, we don’t know when our time is going to come. I don’t want to write this with the idea that you have to be maximally opera tional 110% of the time. I struggle with anxiety so I always have to tamp down any motivation or else I’m going to be buzzing around like a fly stuck in a car for the rest of the day.

The problem with mo tivation is that it comes with guilt if you don’t accomplish your goals. If you haven’t stuck to your New Year’s Reso lution by the time Feb ruary rolls around, you beat yourself up over it. After a few missed goals, you stop making any at all.

I have a friend who always tells me I need to waste more time. Play a video game for an hour. Watch a stupid movie. He’s right, of course.

Is it possible to push yourself to relax? It seems an impossible goal, but one to strive for. Those life moments are going to hit you, whether you want them to or not. Might as well enjoy the ride.

Time isn’t on our side and it’s never going to let us win. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t play.

Chris Lundy News Editor

Rebuttal To “It’s Time To Stop Celebrating Columbus”

The following is a rebuttal to “It’s Time To Stop Cel ebrating Columbus” letter to the editor. The writer claimed Columbus doesn’t deserve a holiday or a pa rade, making a number of inaccurate statements to support his assertion. Like Columbus “didn’t ‘discover America.’ He was nowhere near America.” But that contradicts his acknowl edgement of Columbus’ landing in Central AMER ICA, South AMERICA and the Caribbean, which is part of America.

True: Columbus “never set foot on United States soil.” Neither did Amerigo Vespucci, whom Ameri ca’s name is derived from. Perhaps America’s name should be changed since he never reached the USA that bears his name. Not to mention Vespucci reached the continent a year after Columbus discovered it. And Vespucci reached it using Columbus’ own map. However, North America was reached because of Columbus. The reason is that Columbus sent his brother Bartholomew to the King of England, while he lobbied for his discovery project in Spain, to see who would give him the “green light” first, since other countries had rejected his proposal. Once the news

Letters To The Editor

of Columbus’ discovery reached England, the King sent John Cabot to explore North America. Later on, Juan Ponce de Leon, who was one of Columbus’ sail ors during his second voy age, discovered Florida, which is in the USA.

ALL the explorers and set tlers that followed, were not independent from Colum bus, but fully dependent on his initial discovery. That’s the reason why set tlers came to what later became the United States. All thanks to Columbus’ 1492 enterprise!

Next, the writer claimed Columbus “enslaved na tives, murdered and raped them. When they revolted, “he had them killed, dis membered and paraded their body parts through their villages.”

I think the writer is confus ing Columbus with the Car ibs. The Caribs were a tribe of cannibals who constantly raided the Taino tribes in the Caribbean. They raped the woman, castrated the young men, enslaved people, and sometimes cannibalized entire islands. Those were the ones Columbus sent to Spain as prisoners of war as he had made a treaty with a Taino chief to protect him from them and other enemies.

The writer added, “How can you say you care about history when you don’t even know the history?”

I agree!

If those are the reasons

We Welcome Letters To The Editor!

The Toms River Times wel comes all points of view for publication and provides this page as an open forum for residents to express them selves regarding politics, government, current events and local concerns.

All letters are printed as space allows unless deemed offensive by the editorial staff, and provided they are signed and include address & phone number for verifica tion. Letters may not be print ed if we cannot verify them. Names will not be withheld from publication. While most letters are printed as submit ted, we reserve the right to

edit or reject letters. The weekly deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday. Mail typed letters to: PO Box 521, Lakehurst, NJ 08733, fax 732-657-7388 or e-mail news@jerseyshore online.com. Letters may be limited to one per month per writer at the editor’s discretion.

The opinions expressed in the Letters To The Editor section do not necessari ly reflect those of the staff, management or sponsors of Micromedia Publications/ Jersey Shore Online. Letters to the Editor are the OPINION of the writer and the content is not checked for accuracy.

to not celebrate Columbus, then that’s more reason to celebrate him, since what was written originally to the editor against Columbus is false. The fact is, without 1492 there is no 1776. Hap py Columbus Day forever!

Rafael Ortiz

Note: The writer is of in digenous heritage who has authored books advocat ing for Columbus, such as “Christopher Columbus The Hero: Defending Co lumbus From Modern Day Revisionism” and three others.

your cameras. Every year you do a great job, along with our great media (Micro Media Publications, Asbury Park Press and USA Today).

Thanks also to the po lice department (Cops Are Tops), firemen and more. Our local schools are great. I enjoy being a VIP guest at all the high school gradua tions with VIP parking and seating, etc. and being read about to the students by the New Jersey Book which is stored in all the New Jersey schools. I also enjoyed ap pearing at all the proms and being a mascot for sports like football, wrestling and basketball - both female and male teams.

Thank You For Your Support Biden’s Border Policy Is Working

Wow, thank you, thank you to the greatest town in the world and the people in it from giving me a downtown birthday party from all the merchants and the love and kisses blown to me at the Toms River Halloween Pa rade along with the doctors, council, lawyers etc. who came over to my parade car to lift me on top (my other parade car became disabled so we hurriedly had a change and decorate the other car completely causing me to be late. But i made the parade and en joyed the blowing kisses in the cameras for TV 21, Youtube, etc.

Thank you for the great TV shots and photographer shots too! They enjoyed my “Wowie” signs. Thank you TV announcers, Matt Knight (my knight in shin ing armor) and Jimmy Steal (Super Steal Built) for your nice comments about me on the air. Thanks to the students and local design ers, Linda and Karen, for decorating my gown with feathers, 24 carat crystals, fringes, garters etc. to help celebrate my little can-can dance for the tradition al Toms River Halloween Parade which brings all of our wonderful community together.

Thank you TV 21 Phillys director for the great shots of me blowing kisses into

I salute all of you wonder ful people. You make our community the best in the world - not the second best, the very First best.

Happy holidays with love and respect.

Sondra Fortunato

Miss Liberty USA, etc, etc. Toms River

Some of my Republi can friends were posting on Facebook about how Biden’s border patrol wasn’t working, and the numbers they posted actually proved the opposite.

They listed a bunch of numbers of people on the FBI terror watch list that were arrested by the Border Patrol each year. In 2017, it was just 2. In 2018, it was 6. In 2019, it was a whopping 0. And in 2020 it was 3. These were all Trump years. Then, in 2021, it was 15. This year, I’m proud to say, that 98 people so far have been caught by Biden’s bor der security policies – and that’s just those who are on watch lists; it doesn’t count the total number of people detained.

So tell me, who was really tougher on terrorists?

Beverly Smith Penn Toms River

ommunity n ews

Mexican Culture On Full Display For Students Studying Hispanic Heritage

DEC. 12 A DAY IN AMISH LANCASTER $84/pp Includes Lunch at Shady Maple, Visit to Kitchen Kettle, Bird n Hand Bakery.

TOMS RIVER – On November 29, dis trict students ventured to Ocean County College’s Grunin Center for the Arts for an enriching cultural experience. Club direc tors Daniela Benitez, Betty Velez-Gimbel, and Jennifer Fernandez led 21 members of Intermediate South’s Hispanic Heritage Club to the Center. There, they joined Intermediate North’s sixth- and sev enth-grade Spanish and ESL classes taught by Alecia Olszewski, Nicole Sanzaro, and Damarisinai Carrion-Flores, Student Am bassadors led by Kristin Renkin, and the Multicultural Club run by Jennifer Bolcato to see Mexico Beyond Mariachi.

A multi-cultural ensemble of professional musicians, actors, dancers, and teaching artists whose love of Mexican traditions and way of life shines bright in every performance, Mexico Beyond Mariachi was founded in 2005 in New York City.

The group’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that art and culture are an inte gral part of the development of every individual’s outlook on life. Personal engagement, community experiences, and the celebration of commonality are themes Mexico Beyond Mariachi bring to their shows. And every year, Mexico Beyond Mariachi performs in dozens of schools, theatres, and museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museo del Barrio, Queens Theater, New Jersey State Museum, Newark Museum, and –today - the Grunin Center.

These programs are funded in part by the Ocean County Board of Commissioners and a grant from the NJ State Council on the Arts administered by The Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commis sion. Students, as well as their staff chap erones, greatly enjoyed the performance.

DEC. 12-14 3 DAY CHRISTMAS ON THE POTOMAC $598/pp Dbl.Occ. Enjoy the holidays with us on a spectacular Christmas themed trip. Ice returns this year with one of a kind amazing walk-through experience. Includes 2 nts. stay at the 5 star Gaylord National Harbor Resort, 2 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners, 1 Christmas Musical with lunch and more.

DEC. 13 CHRISTMAS IN CAPE MAY $165/pp Includes Dinner at Lobster House, Trolly Christmas Lights Tour & More.

DEC. 15. ELF MUSICAL AT THE DUTCH APPLE THEATRE IN LANCASTER PA $138/pp

Includes Lunch Before Show.

DEC. 31 NEW YEARS AT NOON $146/pp

Includes A Family Style Lunch, Live Music and Dancing, Comedian, 12 noon Champagne Toast.

JAN. 18 A BEAUTIFUL NOISE - THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL $219/pp Includes lunch before show & Orchestra Seat.

JAN.

JAN.

─Photo courtesy Toms River Schools

thankful for, especially the families in our community! The program is gaining so much interest that the district will be hosting another round of classes in February. Stay tuned!

─Photo courtesy Toms River Schools

Season Of Light

TOMS RIVER – Season Of Light at the Robert J. Novins Planetarium on December 10 and 17 from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Season Of Light explores the reasons humans are so fascinated with lighting up our lives during the December holiday season. It’s an exploration of the astronom ical meanings behind seasonal traditions, including the “Star over Bethlehem.” It’s

an elegant and sophisticated program about the coldest and darkest of seasons – a time which holds some of the warmest and brightest celebrations of the year. The show recounts the historical religious and cultural rituals practiced during the time of winter solstice – not only Christian and Jewish but also Celtic, Nordic, Roman, Irish, Mexican and Hopi.

Cattus Island Gingerbread House Contest

TOMS RIVER – Create and enter your very own Gingerbread House with the theme “Out in Nature.”

Entries must be mounted on a 12-inch by 12-inch board, and no taller than 12 inches. It must be constructed of edible materials. Entries can be dropped off at the Cooper Environmental Center from December 14 through 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. All

entries will be displayed in the lecture room from December 21 through January 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for People’s Choice Voting. Only one entry per person. Only one voting ticket per person. Categories include: Youth (0-12) Teen (13-17) Adult (18+).

Email nvernachio@co.ocean.nj.us for the official rules. There is no fee or pre-regis tration.

One Starry Night - A Christmas Spectacular

TOMS RIVER – Come snuggle up in blan kets, sip hot chocolate and enjoy a wondrous hayride along a path of breath-taking lights. Hear the story of Christmas by a shepherd on his way to find the baby Jesus. Crafts for

the kids, cookies and lights galore! This is a free event is on December 16 and 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. at First Assembly of God. Be sure to bring the family. Donations graciously accepted.

Annual Breakfast With Santa

TOMS RIVER – Annual Breakfast with Santa will be on December 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Toms River Elks Lodge #1875. Cost is $12 for 10 years and up; $8 for under 10 years; 3 years and under eat free. Cash

or credit card will be accepted. Santa will be there for you to take pictures with your phones. 100th Anniversary Shirts will be on sale, As well as 50/50 tickets! All proceeds to benefit Toms River Fire Co. #2.

oli C e B lotter

Canadian Teen Arrested For Sending Cops To Toms River School

By Chris Lundy

TOMS RIVER – A teenager in Ed monton, Canada was charged in a swatting incident that put the area of Toms River Intermediate East on high alert.

“Swatting” is when someone makes a prank call trying to get armed police officers to converge on a location. This happened on November 21 when local police were informed of a threat at the school.

Police said the building was secured and the threat was determined to be

false.

In less than an hour, Detective Graham Borg and Corporal Jesse Robertazzi of Toms River’s Cyber Crimes Unit identified the suspect as a 14-year-old boy in Edmonton. With the assistance of Officer Scott Fallano, the child was also linked to another swatting call at a Toms River residence the day before.

Edmonton police arrested and charged the 9 th grader with the two swatting incidents in Toms River, police said.

WHITING – Crestwood Village 3

Residents Club Snowball Dance will be held on January 21 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Unity Hall, 250 Schoolhouse Road Whiting. Music by DJ Louie. Cost is $10 per person. BYOB. Included: cof

fee, tea, water, soda, chips and dessert. Tickets sold at Unity Hall on Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. starting on December 12. No refunds unless cancelled. For any questions, please call 732-993-7100.

around the Jersey shore

Should You Feed Wildlife? If You Do, What You Should Know

A. Thomaier Retired New Jersey Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator

Having access to wildlife can be very reward ing. We can watch them and learn from their behaviors and perhaps better understand them. So naturally, when hard times hit during the colder months our first instinct is to help them along as many of their natural foods have become dormant, died off, or simply left the area as is possible for migrant species.

Before you get started, here are some potential consequences to feeding. Animals may start depending on you for their food sources and will likely return. You will notice more and more animals appearing in your yard. Too many ani mals at the feeding station may cause aggressive behaviors, and a lack of fear when being around humans. That can be a dangerous situation. Some neighbors may not welcome wildlife in the same way. Never ever feed foods consumed by humans, as their nutritional requirements are different from ours. Never be outdoors with the animals during feeding.

Feeding wildlife is only good if you do so prop erly. By that I mean you need to keep yourself and the animal(s) safe and healthy. Before you start

feeding, make sure you research the animal(s) you specifically want to feed and plan accordingly. Every town has ordinances addressing wildlife feeding – research that beforehand so you know what restrictions you have. Some general rules are placing the animal-specific centralized feeding station away from your house to avoid animals wandering through your yard. Feed once and vary your feeding times. This will help keep predatory animals away as the routine is changing. Where animals feed there will be predators on ground and in the air waiting to prey upon their next meal. Feed where there is overhead protection. Clean the area at the end of the day to avoid contamina tion. Only small amounts of appropriate food to fit the animal’s diet should be offered. If you notice the number of animals increasing or competition among them, you are overfeeding – cut back. The more animals feeding, the risk for transmitting disease to each other increases.

The information for this article from was gathered through multiple sources so statistics may vary slightly. To reach me please call 732244-2768.

It is illegal to possess or relocate wildlife for any reason without the proper New Jersey State and/ or Federal permits.

Renee

Dr. Izzy’s

Sound News

Hearing Loss Can Impact Cognition

Research shows that hearing loss may lead to the rapid progression of cognitive decline. The evidence in the literature suggests that:

• The slow onset of hearing loss can have a significant impact on several key brain functions, including the memory, hearing, speech and language portions of cognition.

• Hearing impairment is a greater risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia than other individual midlife risks.

• The proactive management of hear ing loss can delay or slow the onset or progression of cognitive decline.

• Studies show the use of hearing aids can slow down the rapid progression of cognitive decline.

Garden State Hearing & Balance Center is on the front line of promoting

cognitive health. We now offer a com puterized test of cognitive function called Cognivue Thrive. This screen ing tool objectively and reliably identi fies changes in cognitive function that could be indicative of an impairment that requires physician referral.

In our opinion, driving brain health awareness and improving access to cognitive screenings are among the most important challenges of the 21st century. Although cognitive decline is a normal part of aging, early identifi cation of underlying conditions such as untreated hearing loss will lead to appropriate management, thus improv ing cognitive health.

If you would like to schedule a Cog nivue Thrive screening, please feel free to contact our Toms River office at 732-818-3610.

His offices are in Toms River, Whiting, and Manahawkin. He can be reached at 732-276-1011 or via Web site at gardenstatehearing.com. Dr. Izzy & Staff gives Retirement Community Talks!

Christmas Train Show At The Lakewood Museum

LAKEWOOD – The Ocean County Society of Model Railroaders, 500 Country Club Road, off County Line Road, Kuser Hall, Pine Park, Lake wood, is inviting the public to a Christ mas Train Show at Sheldon Wolpin Historical Museum on December 10 and December 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy seeing both modern and tra

ditional trains, both passenger and freight, dual gauge, HO, S, O gauge trains. Thomas the Tank Engine will also be making an appearance. Admis sion is free but donations are always gladly accepted.

For more information, contact Ted Bertiger, president, at captnkraft@aol. com or visit ocsmr.com.

Dr. Isidore Kirsh Ph.D., F.A.A.A.

Presented By: Isidore Kirsh, Ph.D., F.A.A.A. (N.J. Lic. #678)

5 Helpful Solutions For Seasonal Affective Disorder

By Suzy Cohen, R. Ph.

In certain parts of the world, the cold win ter season causes a mood disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD and it happens at the same time of year.

The winter blues impact over 10 million people just in the USA alone and 80 per cent of those with SAD are women leading researchers to believe there is a hormonal component to the condition.

Symptoms include feeling depression in the wintertime along with low energy as compared to the summer.

Other signs and symptoms of SAD include:

• The uptick in headaches or other aches and pains

• Difficulty sleeping

• Feelings of anxiety or annoyance

• Sensations of feeling worthless or guilty

• Hopelessness

• Thoughts about self-harm or suicide

• Loss of interest in going places or meeting people

We know that certain risk factors increase the incidence of seasonal affective disorder. For example, there is a strong correlation be tween reduced sunlight hours and circadian rhythm alterations. There is also a change in levels of melatonin (it increases while cor tisol decreases), and finally, where you live matters. People who live closer to the equator (for example Florida) seem to do better than those who live further away like in Alaska.

5 Helpful Solutions and Considerations for SAD

1. St. John’s wort has been tried for people with SAD, however, the results are incon sistent.

2. Vitamin B12, again it may help, but results are inconsistent.

3. Vitamin D appears to help some folks, but not all.

4. Prescribed antidepressants such as Bu propion.

5. Hormone replacement, specifically pro gesterone or cortisol.

Let me offer one quick comment about num ber 5 above (the progesterone and cortisol). Restoring those hormones must be done very carefully, by a hormone specialist. This may require you to have some baseline hormone testing, either blood, saliva, or urine. If your doctor recommends hormone testing, you can purchase a DUTCH test kit and do it at home. I have this available on my website as well because I am a Provider. But do not replenish hormones ‘in the dark’ get your self tested first because you can’t self-treat yourself hormones.

There are light therapy devices sold online as well, however, I do not think they will have much impact. They’d be fun to try and can’t hurt anything.

Most of us do not have the means to travel to Hawaii or New Zealand just to get to a sunny warm part of the world when it’s cold here in America. So if you have SAD, please try some of the potential solutions I’ve listed above, and make sure you are being seen by a licensed, qualified professional, whether that is a physician or therapist or other. Don’t go it alone! Share your feelings with your family members or friends so they can support you. And keep in mind one very important thing. SAD goes away. It is a seasonal condition. No matter how you feel right now, it will lift.

If this topic interests you, please read the longer, more detailed version of my article. It is available at suzycohen.com ”

Enjoy The Holidays But Be Mindful Of Scams!

By: Michael J, Deem, Esq. of R.C. Shea & Associates

Have you thought about giving a fancy new gadget as a holiday gift? Or maybe there’s something on your wish list that Santa forgot to bring? If so, you might be tempted by an Ad to purchase high-tech gadgets for a low price. But if a merchant, other than Amazon.com, asks you to pay using an Amazon gift card then it’s probably a scam. In fact, Amazon’s gift card terms don’t allow you to use Amazon gift cards to make payments anywhere besides amazon.com and a few specific sites.

Here’s how the scam happens: You dis cover a website that sells new HDTVs, GPS devices, and other tech-gadgets for deeply discounted prices. You haven’t heard of the site, but you’re diligent and you do some research. You find a few re views from satisfied customers, you think the site is legitimate, and you go for it.

During checkout, you’re instructed to purchase an Amazon gift card and then hand over the gift card information as payment. Unfortunately, if you do, you’ll be out the money, and you won’t get anything in return. These scammers know that bad reviews scare people away, so they may post a few positive reviews about the site. They shut down the site before people post complaints — usually

in less than a month — and open under a new name somewhere else.

Buying an Amazon gift card to make a payment is NOT the same as using Amazon Payments, which provides some protections for buyers. Amazon Payments is a feature that al lows Amazon members to pay for mer chandise on other websites by logging in and using a payment method they’ve stored on their Amazon account. For example, if you use a credit card stored in your Amazon Payments account, you’re still using your credit card to make the purchase, and you get certain protections when you use a credit card. You don’t have the same protections when you pay with a gift card — virtually or physical ly. It could be tough to trace the money or get it back if something goes wrong. Of course, that’s not a problem if you’re sending the gift card to a friend or family member as a gift.

When shopping online, consider using a payment method that offers protections if you don’t get what you paid for.

From everyone here at R.C. Shea & As sociates, have a safe, happy and healthy Holiday season.

Beacon Of Life Toy/Food Drive

LAKEHURST – Beacon of Life will be holding a Toy/Food Drive to Benefit Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Drop off new toys or non-perishable food items to Beacon of Life, 800 Route 70 Lakehurst, by December 12.

Retail:

Continued From Page 1

It was a wooded area but all the trees were to be cut down for the development. Plans for the building go back at least to 2015. There have been a few times that it looked like construction was about to start. The approval given by the Planning Board had one variance. A variance is when a de veloper’s plan doesn’t conform to all of the rules the town set for the property. In these cases, the developer asks for a variance to allow the plan to proceed with one or more changes. The land use board then decides whether the variance is a big deal worth denying the entire plan, or if they should allow it, or make some kind of compromise.

For this particular property, 53 parking spaces were required given the size of the building but only 49 were proposed. The board saw this as a trivial difference since

it’s right next to the entire parking lot of the Ocean County Mall. Mall parking is usually only an issue in December.

The Board also allowed the developer some leeway in design since it’s a retail use in a retail area. Also, the developer has agreed to install sidewalks along Bay Avenue.

One condition of approval is that the building can’t house more than four differ ent tenants. The Board wanted to see such things as a truck turning plan and signage.

The developer is officially listed as Block 578 Bay Avenue LLC, because the prop erty’s at Block 578, Lots 10 and 19 on the township’s tax map.

A representative from the Ocean County Mall said they did not have any additional information about potential tenants but will share it as soon as it becomes available.

The most recent new tenant at the Mall is On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, which had a grand opening on November 14.

─Photo by Chris Lundy

The retail building will overlook the Seacourt Mall and Bay Avenue.

CLASSIFIEDS

Real Estate

2 Bedroom, 1.5 Baths, unfinished full basement, 1 car attached ga rage, baseboard heat. For sale as is $489,000. 732-691-9845. (1)

For Rent

Don't Miss The Opportunity Of Rent ing - A single-family home in Howell. For more details call Rut from Lifestyle International Realty (908)344-7230. (50)

Single Male Senior - To share apart ment with other senior male. Crest wood Village, Whiting. $600 p/m. Private bedroom with kitchen-B/R privileges. Tel: 845-391-6430. (1)

Items For Sale

CHRISTMAS PASTELES - Puerto Rican Tradition. Pork or Chicken $40/ dozen, $75/2 dozen, $110/3 dozen. Call/text Cary 908-770-8537. (2)

Three piece queen bedroom set like new, $394. was origionally $1,200. Cat carrier $18. Walker with wheels and seat $39. Beige carpet runner 25 ft. 732-503-3263. (51)

Pellet Stove - Englander Model 55-SHP10L. Heats 1,500 sq. ft. Very good condition. Used. $400, price negotiable. Call 732-350-1314 (3)

Dolls

Items Wanted

Jewelry and watches, costume jewelry, sterling silver, silverplate, medals, military items, antiques, musical instruments, pottery, fine art, photographs, paintings, statues, old coins, vintage toys and dolls, rugs, old pens and postcards, clocks, furniture, brica-brac, select china and crys tal patterns. Cash paid. Over 35 years experience. Call Gary Struncius. 732-364-7580. (t/n)

Vinyl Records Wanted - Paying cash for LP albums. Rock, Blues, Reggae, Soul. Very good condition only. Call Rick 908-616-7104. (52)

Entire Estates Bought - Bedroom/ dining sets, dressers, cedar chests, ward robes, secretaries, pre-1950 wooden furniture, older glassware, oriental rugs, paintings, bronzes, silver, bric-a-brac. Call Jason at 609-970-4806. (t/n)

Buying Selmer Saxophones And Other Vintage Models - Also buying World War II Military items. Cash Paid! 609-581-8290. Email: mymilitarytoys@optonline.net. (31)

CASH PAID!! LP records - stereos, turntables, musical instru-ments, guitar, saxophone, CD’s, reel tapes, music related items. Come to you. 732-804-8115. (30)

CASH, CASH, CASH! - Instant cash paid for junk cars, trucks, vans. Free removal of any metal items. Discount towing. Call Dano 732-239-3949. (t/n)

Cash - Top dollar, paid for junk, cars running and nonrunning, late model salvage, cars and trucks, etc. 732-928-3713. (t/n)

Cash Paid LP Records - 33/45's, reel to reel's. Fast response, we answer the phone 732-829-5908, 24/7, Eddie. (41)

Items Wanted

COSTUME/ESTATE JEWEL

RY Looking to buy costume/estate jewelry, old rosaries and religious medals, all watches and any type of sterling silver, bowls, flatware candlesticks or jewelry. Same day house calls and cash on the spot. 5 percent more with this AD. Call Peggy at 732-581-5225. (t/n)

Services

Experienced Home Health Aid(s) Available hourly or 24/7 and ready to assist you with personal care, medication monitoring, driving, grocery shopping, cooking, light housekeeping, companionship, etc. (including patients suffering from Dementia/Althheimer's or any other disabilities). References available. Call 732-910-8869. (42)

Used Guns Wanted - All types: collectibles, military, etc. Call 917-681-6809. (t/n)

Help Wanted

HIRING NOW!! The Goddard School of Toms River Route 70 is urgently hiring Assistant Teachers and Teacher Aides to float between the In fant through School Age classrooms. No teaching experience necessary. On-the-job training provided. Mul tiple PT and FT positions available. Call 732-363-5530 or email dtoms river2nj3@goddardschools.com to schedule an interview today! (t/n)

Laundromat Attendant - For FT/ PT Good communication skills, math and min computer knowledge. Trans portation needed. Long term com mitment only. 732-286-1863. (t/n)

Dental Assistant - We’re currently looking to hire a qualified DENTAL ASSISTANT. Will train the right per son. Call 732-938-2800 for details. (2)

Garden State Medical Centercurrently looking for qualified candi dates to fill their medical assistant, re ceptionist, and surgical technician posi tions. If you would like to apply or have any questions, call 732-202-3000. (45)

Absolute best home improvements!"Building the shore since 1984" Additions, carpentry, windows & doors, roofing & siding, painting & staining, flooring, kitchens & baths, finished basements, masonry, fencing, custom decks, fully insured, license #13VH11804800. $ave. Call Brien 732-850-5060. (28)

House Cleaning, Painting, Shop ping, - Window cleaning, laundry, carpet cleaning, office cleaning. Very good prices. Call 732-7735078 or 848-287-3944. (43)

Roofing Repairs Etc. - Roofing, sid ing, windows. Repairs on small jobs. Utility shed roofs replaced. Prompt service. Insured. Gutters cleaned. Call Joe Wingate 551-804-7391. (19)

Computer Tutoring for Seniors –Retired, “Microsoft Certified” in structor. Very Reasonable rates. Very patient with slow learners. I’ll teach you in the comfort of your home on your computer. I can trouble shoot your slow computer! I also teach iPhone and iPad. I set up new com puters at less than half the price the retailers charge. Windows 10 special ist. I can also build a beautiful small business website at a fraction of the going rates. Special Projects always welcome! Tony 732-997-8192. (t/n)

LANDSCAPING - Restorations, Repairs, Stones, Mulch, Sod Installs, Hedges, Shrubs, Bushes, Downed Branches Trimmed & Removed, Dem olition, Cleanouts, ect., Dumpster ser vice provided by A901 Licensed Haul er ect. MAN WITH VAN LLC. Jim 609-335-0330 HIC# 13vh10806000. NO JOB TOO SMALL! (15)

Services Services Services

Certified Home Health Aides - Need ed for Ocean County area. Hourly and live-in positions avail. P/T and F/T. Call CCC at 732-206-1047. (t/n)

Bobs Waterproofing - Basement and crawlspace waterproofing. Mold testing, removal and prevention. Family owned. Fully licensed and in sured. Call Bob 732-616-5007. (t/n)

Handyman Service - Carpentry, masonry, painting repairs large and small. 40 years experience. Call Jim 732-674-3346. (39)

Music Lessons In Your HomeBy state certified instrumen tal music teacher. Please call 732-350-4427 for more informa tion. All are welcome. (3)

PQ Painting & Home Improve ment Services - Over 5 decades of service in NJ. Visit us online at pqpaintingservice.com . Win ner of Angie’s List Super Service Award. Free estimates, reasonable rates, fully licensed and insured NJ Lic #13VH06752800. Call 732500-3063 or 609-356-2444. (t/n)

CHEAP PAINTING Done RITEFree est. Senior discounts interi or exterior. Call 732-506-7787, cell 646-643-7678. (28)

APlus Home Improvements - Over 30 years experience. Everything from small handyman tasks to large renovations, decks, finished basements and much more. Lic #13VH11453600. No job too small give us a call. 908-278-1322. (52)

Custom House Painter - Pays at tention to detail, interior, cracks, nail pops,wall repair. Benjamin Moore paints. Wayne 908-327-5471. (52)

MY HANDY CREW - Home re pairs, carpentry, painting roofing and siding, decks, powerwashing, yardwor,k all your home main tenance needs. $ave. Call Clark 732-850-5060. Insured and NJ License #13VH11804800. (46)

ALL American Home Health AidesExperienced experts in the field of trauma and recovery. Holistic approach to healing-nutrition, physical therapy, and quality of life improvements. Hourly or live in. Honest, hardwork ing, etc. Includes housekeeping, rides to doctors/pleasure. Skip the rest, come to the best. 732-664-3605 (t/n)

DOWLING FENCE LLC - WE'VE RECENTLY MOVED TO TOMS RIVER! CALL US FOR ALL YOUR FENCING NEEDS. RESI DENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, BEST PRICING AND WORK MANSHIP! CALL 732-771-5150 OR 732-644-0627. (46)

Property/Management - Brick repair, brick restoration, mulch, stone. Spring/Fall cleanups. pruning, concrete repairs. Call Ken 732-814-7743. (42)

Car Service - 24/7. Doctors, shop ping, airports, hospitals, cruise, shops, Atlantic City, family func tions, NYC accomodations for large groups. Call for reasonable rates. Kerry 732-606-2725. (42)

Santucci Painting LLC - We paint it all, interior and exterior, drywall re pair, pressure washing, decks, stained. Email santwag@aol.com. 908-3275471. 13VH05784200. (41)

Prepare for power outages today - with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Money Down + Low Monthly Payment Options. Request a FREE Quote. Call now before the next power outage: 1-833-901-0309. (t/n)

Nor’easter Painting and Stain ing, LLC - Interior and exte rior. Decks, powerwashing. Affordable. Senior discounts. References. No job too small. Fully insured. 732-691-0123. Lic #13VH09460600. (19)

3. 1 week* at $29.95 for 20 words + $0.40 ea. add’tl word = $ 2 weeks* at $44.95 for 20 words + $0.40 ea. add’tl word = $ 3 weeks* at $60.95 for

Jackson - House For Sale By Own er. Private Road Sits On 1.5 Acres.

Red or “bloodshot” eyes can have a wide variety of causes and symptoms, which is why it can be incredibly frustrating trying to figure out the source of the problem. Red eye occurs when the blood vessels in the eye become swollen, making them suddenly visible. For many people this occurs without any other symptoms, but more often it comes with eyes feeling itchy, burning, dry, and light sensitive, and accompanied by leaking tears or other discharge and pain. Your eye doctor can help in determining the cause of your red eyes, but you should watch for triggers such as airborne allergens, chemical exposure, contact lenses, or fumes from paints or solvents.

There are many possible causes of a red eye or eyes. Some are cause for concern; some are medical emergencies. Others are of no concern at all. The degree of redness or appearance of blood usually does not correlate to how serious the situation is. It is generally more important whether you also have eye pain or impaired vision. SIGHTMD NEW JERSEY SUSSKIND & ALMALLAH EYE ASSOCIATES offers a full range of care for your eyes, from your yearly vision exam to the treatment of medical eye conditions. To make an appointment, please call 732-349-5622.

Author: Continued From Page 4

was her habit. She had no car and no money. She was 40 years old, with no health insurance and a chronic illness.

The church sent her off with $1,000 and she went home to live with her parents. She earned her Master’s and has worked in parishes, running CCD classes.

Unfortunately, the neuropathy start ed getting worse around 2013. She couldn’t work full time any more. She could still work part time to supple ment Social Security (she didn’t pay into it when she was in the convent). She worked part time in a law office before getting laid off. She became a caregiver/companion for seniors.

She moved to the area, first in Whit ing in 2016, then to Holiday City at Berkeley.

“This baby came to be in late 2015,” she said of her book. The impetus came from telling her story to people and them saying “You should really write a book.”

The purpose is not for money, or to be famous, but to help other people understand what life is like with a chronic disease. And if the reader has

a chronic disease, to let them see the light at the end of the tunnel.

When it took years trying to get a diagnosis, it is absolutely important for someone in the same situation to know that they are not alone. Hope fully, this book will shine a light on pudendal neuropathy. People who have it – but don’t know it yet – might read this and have an “a-ha moment” when they recognize the symptoms.

People don’t like to talk about prob lems in the pelvic area so sufferers lack a support system. Sometimes, even doctors don’t listen. There is also less funding for research. The rate of suicide is far higher for those who have chronic pain.

“I’ll never say in a million years that it’s easy, but some of the best years in my life have been during the years where I’ve been suffering,” she said.

She wants to tell people “I’ve been there. I know that despair. They’re making breakthroughs. You have to hold on.”

For more information, visit au thormrosepeluso.com/

around the Jersey shore

Harrogate Resident Celebrates 106th Birthday

LAKEWOOD – Join in wishing Har rogate Resident Jeannette Mazur a Happy 106 th birthday!

Born on November 23 in Newark and spending most of her life in Union County, Jeannette also lived six years in Iowa and six years in Illinois to be closer to her grandchildren.

After high school Jeanette took some accounting classes at Rutgers and was employed as treasurer for the Red Devil tool company.

After she was married Jeanette and

her husband moved to Mountainside where she raised her three children enjoyed volunteering at the local town library. That volunteer position turned into a secretarial job that lasted 17 years!

Jeanette has lived at Harrogate for 19 years; she loves jigsaw puzzles and keeps herself busy with the many pro grams at Harrogate.

In addition to her three children Jea nette also has six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

─Photo courtesy Harrogate

photo of the week

Commercial fishing boats in Point Pleasant. This pic was taken by Jim Fisher. Wanna see your snaps featured in this space? Email them to photos@jerseyshoreonline.com and you may win a prize!

Omarr’s Astrological Forecast

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Slow and steady might not win the race, but at least you won’t end up in an unwinnable argu ment. Losing your temper or rushing ahead after making hasty decisions can land you in trouble during the week ahead.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In the upcoming week, you may go looking for love in all the wrong places. Perhaps it is a better idea to look closer to home, where you’re unlikely to be fooled by surface appearances. Extra bills could pile up.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Use your ener gy and enthusiasm wisely. Stifle any tendency to be overly competitive. You might find an illuminating insight and realize how your own actions may factor into tensions or disputes.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) : Your intuitions might not be reliable in the week ahead, especially if you are making a pur chase or saddled with financial decisions. Thankfully, you can count on a partner or loved one to be more down to earth.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) : Your ambition may make you yearn for more success in the week ahead, but an impractical streak could rear its ugly head. Be sure to understand where your loyalties lie and get business agreements in writing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) : Be sure there is a soft place to land. Let good inten tions prevail, and always stay fully in your integrity. Spending your money on things of lasting value makes more sense than indulging in passing whims.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It might be a good idea to keep your opinions to yourself as the week unfolds. Someone may be too wrapped up in achieving their business objectives to indulge in romantic fantasies or other personal activities now.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The simplest explanation is usually the best one. Be direct and to the point when presenting your ideas. Avoid making major purchases in the week to come because you might be too trusting and believe a sales pitch.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In the upcoming week, you may dream you can conquer the world while safely hanging out in your own little zone. Out in the world, however, you should concentrate on making every effort work on your behalf.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Bring your practical side and your creative one to the table now. This combo can be one of your greatest strengths and can bring out wonderful solutions. Wallow in a romantic dream or two, then go back to minding the store.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Loved ones might have unrealistic ideas or romanti cize the importance of their spare time activi ties. Watch your money carefully in the week ahead since you might be paying attention to the spin rather than the substance.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You may feel your allure and attractiveness is slipping as the week unfolds. Even if you are in “ugly” stars, they will pass. Watch for some imagina tive ideas that can be put on the back burner until the timing is better.

A CREAMLESS CREAMY TOMATO SOUP -- NOW THAT’S DREAMY!

By America’s Test Kitchen

CREAMLESS CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

Serves 1 to 2 (makes 2 cups)

2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped shallot

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced toma toes, opened 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1- inch pieces 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat for 1 minute (oil should be hot but not smoking). Add shallot

and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

2. Pour tomatoes and their juice into the saucepan. Stir in broth, bread and sugar. In crease heat to medium- high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stir ring occasionally, until bread starts to fall apart, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat. Let tomato mixture cool for 5 minutes.

4. Transfer tomato mixture into a blender jar. Place lid on top of blender and hold lid firmly in place with a fold ed dish towel. Process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour soup into bowls or mugs and serve.

For the week of dec 10 - dec 16

(c) 2022 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

By Jeraldine Saunders