Staged Crash Drives Home Dangers Of Drinking

By Stephanie Faughnan

BARNEGAT – The piercing wails of sirens echoed through the air on Monday, May 15, as police cars and emergency vehicles raced toward Barnegat High School.

The scene outside the high school was shockingly gruesome in the aftermath of a head-on collision. One of the drivers stood outside his car; his face twisted in horror as he gazed upon the lifeless body of his friend who had been hurled through the shattered windshield.

Page 16

Two teenage girls remained trapped within the wreckage of the other vehicle, one in full panic mode. Despite the passenger’s visible signs of breathing, she remained unresponsive, intensifying the already harrowing scene that unfolded before the eyes of onlookers.

Classifieds Pages 22

Seated on outdoor bleachers, the Class of 2023 watched intently as

(Crash - See Page 6)

Local Boy’s Journey With Rare Epilepsy Offers Hope To Others

By Stephanie Faughnan

Kristy and Jeremy Salkewicz were on top of the world when they brought their fi rstborn home from the hospital eight years ago. The couple instantly fell in love with James and were overjoyed and relieved to see he appeared to be a big healthy baby.

Despite their growing adoration for their son, Kristy and Jeremy acknowledge that their feeling of ease was brief. Within three weeks of bringing James home, the fi rst-time parents began to worry that something just wasn’t right.

“Everything was perfect,” recalled Kristy. “And I suddenly noticed that James’ lips were a slight greyish color. I almost felt it was something only a new mother would notice.”

Kristy shared her observations with a nurse she knew, who advised her to speak to the pediatrician about them. The nurse suggested James might be experiencing sleep apnea, which is generally more common in premature babies.

(Journey - See Page 5)