OPINIONS & COMMENTARY

Letters To The Editor e ditorial

Celebrating Our 28 Year Journey A Time For Thanks

It has now been a journey of 28 years since The Manchester Times was born with the publication of its first edition on April 18, 1995, a venture which I launched with my partner, Robyn Weber, in the basement of my home in Pine Lake Park. Since that time, we have been fortunate to add to our family of weekly newspapers with the introduction of The Berkeley Times (1996), The Jackson Times (2000), The Brick Times (2002), The Howell Times (2004), the Toms River Times (2005), and the Southern Ocean Times (2013). As our journey continued, the progress of technology meant the need for us to extend our offerings online, where information of all types is now consumed. This led to our development of a first-class website fully integrated with social media and the needs of both readers and advertisers. Jersey Shore Online, Toms River Online and Bricktown Online are seen by thousands of readers each day and our reach has never been greater.

The first edition of The Manchester Times contained an editorial entitled The Importance Of Community, which has been published within the first edition of all our newspapers since that time. It expressed the belief that the strength of our nation is founded upon the strength of our individual communities through “the simple associations we make in our community each and every day.” As such, the editorial continued, “We believe the mission of a local newspaper should be to promote the highest ideals of community life,” a mission we have tried to pursue faithfully throughout our journey.

The celebration of the 28th

Westlake Spared During Tornado Outbreak

anniversary of our journey is first and foremost a time for thanks – to those who submit club and travel news to inform our readers of their events; to those submitting Letters To The Editor, thereby encouraging the debate and analysis of important issues; to our elected officials and other public officers who inform us of initiatives undertaken on behalf of the constituents they serve, and to the loyal advertisers whose advertising dollars make the fulfillment of our mission possible.

Finally, I extend my deep and heartfelt thanks to the dedicated employees of our company, without which the success and quality of our newspapers and online offerings would be impossible – to our office, layout, ad design and production staff, under the direction of production manager Allison Gradzki, who meet deadlines under often difficult circumstances; to our news staff, under the direction of news editor Chris Lundy, who offer complete and unbiased news reporting; to our sales staff, under the direction of sales manager Lorrie Toscano, who work diligently to ensure that economic targets are met; to the distribution department, under the direction of distribution manager Laura Hoban, who distribute our newspapers week in and week out on a timely basis, and to Jason Allentoff, our vice president and my business partner, who sees that all facets of the organization are effectively coordinated.

To all of you, thank you for sharing this wonderful journey with us, a journey that will continue for many years to come!

Stew Swann Publisher

The number of tornadoes that struck New Jersey on April 1 has been confirmed as seven by the National Weather Service. Jackson Township had two confirmed, one being a powerful EF-2 with winds exceeding 130 mph. I visited ground zero the next day, and it was obvious that the damage was typical of tornadic activity. I witnessed uprooted trees, storage sheds in the middle of West Commodore Boulevard, fences scattered like twigs, and vehicles with broken windshields with tree limbs on them. A few tree trunks had metal storage sheds wrapped around them, indicating the intense swirling winds. Tornadic wind damage was also reported on Frank Applegate Road and several other areas in Jackson.

To determine the details on any tornado, the NWS survey team must follow the path, from point of touchdown, to dissipation point. It is a long and tedious job.

According to the NWS report, the tornado formed along a “rotating supercell within a line of thunderstorms.” It first touched down near Patterson Road, just off West Commodore Boulevard and moved east about three-quarters of a mile, carving a path of damage 200 yards wide across homes on the north side of Stonehenge Court before going across homes and businesses across Wright-Debow Road and Hamilton

Road. From there the tornado moved east-southeast for about three-quarters of a mile, still over 200 yards wide, passing just north of GasTime, at the corner of Diamond Road and West Commodore Boulevard, then following West Commodore again. It finally dissipated just before reaching the Land ‘O Pines Mobile Home Park, where the tornado’s path ended. Another tornado formed near Aldrich Road in Jackson and left a trail of damage before dissipating in Howell Township.

The bubble at Adventure Crossings was deflated by flying debris. Great Adventure sustained heavy damage to signage and trees. A warehouse under construction off I-95 was destroyed.

Many streets were closed throughout our town, and school was canceled the following day due to power outages and debris on some streets. Luckily, no injuries were reported.

The rating scale for tornadoes is based entirely on the damage they cause. The enhanced Fujita Scale was implemented by the National Weather Service in 2007 to rate tornadoes in a more consistent and accurate manner. It ranges from EF-0 to EF-5.

Here in Westlake, many residents did the proper thing and took shelter in their basements or an interior room, some with their pets. Lights blinked a few times as transformers exploded in other areas of town, but luckily, here in Westlake no damage was reported. Residents who belong to the Facebook group:

“Westlake Weather Watches”

We Welcome Letters To The Editor!

The Toms River Times welcomes all points of view for publication and provides this page as an open forum for residents to express themselves 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 verification. Letters may not be printed if we cannot verify them. Names will not be withheld from publication. While most letters are printed as submitted, we reserve the right to were kept informed minute by minute during the storm. One member was thankful after the all-clear was posted, saying she was glad to finally get out of her closet.

A tornado has a very specific definition. It is a violently rotating column of air, that extends from the base of a thunderstorm cloud to the ground. If it’s not rotating, or does not touch the ground, it is not officially a tornado. Only the strongest thunderstorms are capable of producing a tornado, and a storm must have the perfect combination of instability, moisture, shear, and lift to drop a twister. The sunny weather and warm temperatures that afternoon increased instability in the atmosphere, and combined with an approaching cold front; created the perfect formula for a tornado formation.

When a Tornado Warning is issued for your area, it is an urgent and very serious matter. That’s why your television, radio, and cell phones are instantly interrupted with the dramatic buzzing and beeping of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts. You may only have minutes (or less) to seek appropriate shelter. Let’s hope we don’t hear those warnings again.

Bruce Miller Jackson

Affordable Care Act Saves Lives And Money

The Affordable Care Act just celebrated its 13th year anniversary. In all those years the Republican Party has tried over fifty times to abolish the Affordable Care Act with absolutely no attempts to replace it with a plan of their own!

old college students won’t be immediately kicked off parents policies, seniors enjoying significant pharmaceutical benefits and many more health benefits for the American people!

Patricia Murphy Toms River

In Support Of Labor Unions

The Labor Movement has played a significant role in the lives of the working class and it continues to help families every day.

The Labor Movement emerged as a response to the cruel working conditions many people faced during the American Industrial Revolution. Factory owners treated their workers as disposable assets, forcing them to work long hours with low wages. In the 1880s, the first labor unions were formed; they advocated for safer working conditions and just wages. As more jobs became available, the concern for worker’s rights grew and in 1835 the National Labor Relations Act was passed. This act guarantees the worker’s rights to form and join unions.

The opinions expressed in the Letters To The Editor section do not necessarily 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.

The disgraced, twice impeached Trump once said he could give America a healthcare plan, he said “it would be easy!” As usual another Trump lie to the American people.

How many millions of Americans have enjoyed the peace of mind over these 13 years that the Affordable Care Act has brought them? People with pre-existing health issues can obtain insurance, 22-year-

Without this act, the Monmouth and Ocean County Central Labor Union would cease to exist. The union supports the rights of all, no matter what background, and actively uses its power to ensure a respectable workplace, implement anti-discrimination laws, and secure fair wages. These laws have improved the lives and working conditions of millions of workers, including my family. As a child of a member of this union, I have witnessed firsthand how it is a driving force of societal change. Not only does the union protect the rights and dignity of the workers, but it also promotes economic justice and encourages democracy by allowing the people to rally together and make their voices heard. By working together and supporting the Labor Movement, we can create a more equitable society for all.

Elissa Oliveri Brick