High School Artwork Now On Display At Local Hospital

From The Desk Of Congressman Chris Smith

BRICK – Artwork submitted by local high school students for the 2023 Congressional Art Competition for New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional District is now on display at Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center in Brick, an- nounced Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th).

“The 2023 Congressional Art Competition is now underway, showcasing the amazing creativity and artistic talents of more than 85 students from 10 high schools across Ocean and Monmouth counties,” said Smith, who hosts the annual contest for high school students in his congressional district as part of a nationwide competition sponsored by the Congressional Institute.

“The impressive submissions from stu- dents in our area will be judged by a panel of three local professional artists, whose inspiring works of art are also on display,” Smith said.

Members of the community can view the artwork at the Outpatient Pavilion Building located at 425 Jack Martin Boulevard in Brick Township through the end of April before winners are announced at a ceremony in May.

“Thanks to Hackensack Meridian for hosting this year’s competition and providing a space to display the incredible works of our student artists for the community,” said Smith.

“We are privileged and honored to host this year’s Annual Congressional Art Competition and Exhibition at Ocean University Medical Center,” said Frank Citara, MBA, president and chief hospital executive. “Thank you to Representative Chris Smith for giving us the opportunity to foster the artistic talent of high school students in our community. The exhibition will be uplifting and inspiring to our patients, visitors, physicians, and team members who walk our halls every day.” Returning to judge the 2023 art contest are local professional artists Debbie Jencsik, Jim Inzero, and Rich Thompson.

New Liquor License Laws Will Empower Towns, Small Businesses

From The Desk Of The Governor

Phil Murphy

ATLANTIC CITY – Speaking at the New Jersey Conference of Mayors 58th Annual Spring Conference in Atlantic City, Governor Phil Murphy announced the formation of a bipartisan coalition of mayors from across New Jersey who support the Murphy Administration’s comprehensive plan to reform and modernize New Jersey’s antiquated, Prohibition-era liquor license laws. The coalition – “Mayors for Liquor Li- cense Reform” – includes 90 charter members who represent urban, suburban, and rural towns across a vast swath of New Jersey, all of which would benefit from the economic development generated by modernizing the State’s liquor license laws to make them more affordable, equitable, and accessible.

In lending their support and advocating for reform, all 90 charter members of the mayors’ coalition signed an open letter noting, “Given the exorbitant costs for a license, coupled with the lack of availability and the existing population cap for municipalities, the present system favors the economically advantaged while hampering mom-and-pop businesses and town with smaller populations.”

Governor Murphy first announced his goal of reforming New Jersey’s liquor license laws during his State of the State address in January, citing the exorbitant costs – sometimes as high as seven figures – and the lack of availability created by outdated population caps, all of which hinder small, diverse, and mom-and-pop establishments from flourishing. The Governor then unveiled a comprehensive proposal in February, that has since been introduced in the Legislature by Senator Gordon Johnson and Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, which would:

• Gradually phase out the existing population cap on licenses over five years until it is permanently eliminated;

• Maintain local control;

• Establish progressive prices and associated fees based upon business size and a cap on the annual renewal fee not to exceed $2,500;

• Repatriate inactive licenses to boost availability;

• Eliminate the secondary market that currently makes licenses unaffordable for small business owners;

• Permanently ease the restrictions that have hampered breweries; and economic opportunities for small businesses and communities statewide.

“These mayors come from counties across the state. They represent more than one million residents of historic small towns, growing townships, and mid-sized cities,” said Governor Murphy. “But most important, they represent hundreds of small restaurants whose owners are being left out – and whose investments in their establishments are being left at-risk – because they do not have access to the liquor license that can allow them to better compete and stay in business. They understand the patent unfairness of our current liquor law regime and the significant local economic benefits that our proposed reforms would bring.”

From quaint Woodbine in southern Cape May County, to historic Clinton in northwest Hunterdon County, to the shore region of Bay Head, and the booming northern urban center of Newark, the growing list of mayors echoed Governor Murphy’s sentiment that liquor license reform will not only “create greater equity across the board, it will also serve as a major catalyst to spur economic development and strengthen and revitalize downtowns throughout New Jersey.”

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• Provide a mechanism to support existing license holders.

Since then, numerous chefs, restaurant owners, brewery owners, and now mayors have voiced their support for reforms to create a more equitable playing field with the potential to generate massive

Changes:

Continued From Page 4 oncoming cars. Making a right is tricky, too, because Double Trouble is a bit higher on your left so you can’t see cars coming. Sometimes cars line up so long at this exit that they are stopped on the Parkway. This new traffic signal will detect cars and will turn green if the line gets long.

Interchange 81

Interchange 81 will be called Interchange 82A. The Collector-Distributor roadways will have access to this.

Heading north, the exit ramp will be redesigned and will link with the proposed roundabout in downtown Toms River. The roundabout (fancy word for circle) is proposed to be at Highland Parkway, Lakehurst Road, and Water Street.

If you’re leaving Toms River and heading north, the traffic pattern won’t change on the ramp itself. The only change is that you will get onto the Collector-Distributor. From there, you would be able to either get off at 82B or the rest of Parkway north.

The bridge going over the Parkway at Lakehurst Road will be replaced. The new one will be constructed slightly to the north of the current bridge. That way, people will use the old one until the new one is ready. Then, the new one will open up and the old one will be demolished.

Heading south from downtown, the entrance ramp to the Parkway will be enhanced to meet the standards of other entrances but the traffic flow won’t change. Heading south on the Parkway, your exit will be at a different spot. You’ll get off north of Lakehurst Road and the exit ramp will cut through the woods and come to the traffic light at Lakehurst Road. The Park and Ride will be reconfigured but the number of parking spaces will remain the same.

Interchange 82

Interchange 82 and 82A will be called 82B and C. It will still remain as a cloverleaf. However the entrances and exits will be improved and updated to modern design standards.

They will connect to and from the Collector-Distributor roadway. Weaving lengths along this stretch and Route 37 will either be the same or be lengthened.

Interchange 83

At Interchange 83, the Authority is working with engineers working for Ocean County for a new southbound exit ramp to Indian Head Road.

Between 82 and 83, there will be a fourth lane as well as a widening of the roadway to create standard shoulders on both sides.

Neighboring Land Impacted

The Authority wants to acquire about 15 acres for these changes. Of these, 8.81 acres are “partial fee acquisitions,” however 7.3 of these acres are publicly owned. Only .08 acres of residential property is proposed to be bought at Interchange 80.

Concrete barriers are expected to minimize the impact to local properties since the lanes are going to widen, encroaching on neighbors.

Recently, residents of Evergreen Woods in Brick have complained that after the construction several years ago, the lack of trees has created a constant drone of noise that is sometimes extremely loud.

Timeline

Given the scope of the work and the number of applications that need to be made, this project will be years before completion. Construction is expected to begin in late 2025 and will take about four years. There are several approvals that would be needed before the project starts. Included is the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office since the Parkway is a “historic district.”

The project is going through wetlands, fl ood hazards, and riparian zones. It’s also subject to the Coastal Area Facility Review Act, which means the State Department of Environmental Protection has to do a thorough and notoriously lengthy review.

Other environmental approvals will be needed from the NJ Pinelands Commission and the Ocean County Soil Conservation District.

Comments Welcome

The Authority is open to suggestions or comments via email to GSP80to83@njta. com. Written comments should be submitted to: New Jersey Turnpike Authority; Engineering Department; P.O. Box 5042, Woodbridge, NJ 07095-5042; Attn: Vincent Mignella, PE, Project Engineer

Speed And Fitness Camp

HOWELL – This program is designed for athletes to get in shape and work on skills and drills to achieve optimal performance. There will be running distance, short sprint work, and skills designed to improve your speed and endurance on the competition field. Get immersed in an environment suitable for growth and development as it pertains to various activities.

Program meets July 17 to 20 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Open to grades 6th to 12th. Cost is $150 per person. To register, visit howellpal.org.

Howell Night At e BlueClaws

HOWELL – “It might be, it could be, it is... a home run!” Join Howell Township in July for: Howell Night at the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, July 27, 7:05 p.m. start.

Cost is $17 and includes: reserve seat ticket, hot dog, soda, novelty ice cream and boardwalk game ticket.

All tickets can be purchased through online link: fevogm.com/event/Howelltownship/offer

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