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Opening night will be Wednesday, June 28. At 6 p.m., Rock N’ Rhythm will take the stage at Veterans Park. They are described as “a vocal group with a tight harmonious sound of both traditional doo-wop and contemporary styles.” This will be followed by Super TransAm, who play arena anthems from the 70s, including hits from Queen, Foreigner, Journey and more. Since that night is close to July 4, the town will have a fireworks display to finish the night’s festivities.

On Wednesday, July 19, Jukebox Legends will start the show at 6 p.m. at Veterans Park. They perform hits of the 50s, 60s and more. They will be followed by Beginnings, a Chicago tribute band.

On Saturday, August 12, starting at 5 p.m., will be the Annual Beach Party at White Sands Beach in South Seaside Park at 23rd Avenue. From 5 - 8 p.m., reggae band The Verdict will be performing “a fun and exhilarating blend of the sounds of the Caribbean.”

Wednesday, August 23, beginning at 5 p.m. at Veterans Park, will be the annual “Night Out Against Crime and Night of Two Headliners,” Mayor Carmen Amato said. “The Berkeley Township Police De - partment will be on hand along with our township first aid squads, township fire departments and other public safety agencies to greet residents and show the different types of equipment that they utilize. All of these public safety agencies will have their vehicles and equipment on display, as well. Our DARE Program will also be there with games and prizes for the children to enjoy.”

The first headliner will be at 6 p.m. Gerard Esposito celebrates the music from Broadway to Vegas, followed by Garden State Radio, a pop and rock band playing hits from the 80s, 90s and today. “This band will thrill the audience with the music from Pat Benatar to Katy Perry; from Michael Jackson to Journey and many more,” Amato said.

The final performances will be on Saturday, September 9 for Berkeley Township Community Pride Day. Community Pride Day runs from 2 - 9 p.m. and recognizes the original Founder’s Day and anniversary of the town. There will be a circle of vendors, crafters, and local service groups with tables selling food and showcasing their products and services.

At 5 p.m., the township will recognize the 22nd Anniversary of the September 11th attacks and will host a 9/11 Memorial and Remembrance Ceremony. All are encouraged to join the ceremony at the memorial near the stage.

The first show will be Stiletto & the Saxman at 6 p.m. “This entertaining act delivers a great show singing hits of doo-wop, the Rat Pack, popular standards and more.” At 7:30 p.m., The Infernos Band will come on, described as “America’s #1 Show Band and the area’s premier live performance group singing four decades of music.” left Berkeley and the new recreation director is Lacey Councilman Mark Dykoff. Amato has announced that he is leaving the mayoral seat to run for state senate.

Fireworks will close out the show at 9 p.m. Refreshments are always sold by local non-profit groups and organizations that use these concerts as their fundraisers.

All of the shows mentioned in this article are free. They are paid for by donations from the business community and by the Mayor’s Golf Outing and advertising – both in the summer program book and around the stage.

Local businesses, civic groups or others interested in sponsoring can visit BTREC.org and look under “concerts” or contact Berkeley Recreation at 732-269-4456. Anyone interested in the September 29 golf outing – either as a sponsor or player - can contact Berkeley Recreation at 732-269-4456.

The jury awarded Reuter $500,001 for emotional distress and $110,000 for economic loss. She was also awarded $1,000,002 in punitive damages against the town. Furthermore, Reuter can make an application to charge the town for her legal fees.

The lawsuit, filed in 2018, lists ways Reuter said she was discriminated against due to her Jewish faith. She said that this created an anxiety condition. Furthermore, she felt retaliated against because she filed a complaint. Other employees learned of her anxiety and it compounded issues.

Attorney Christopher Dasti, who is representing the town, said that they will be appealing the decision in post-trial motions. The jury’s verdict was inconsistent and he feels that the town won’t have to pay anything if the appeal goes through.

“It was a very hard-fought trial,” he said. “The town didn’t do anything wrong and we’re confident we’ll be successful.”

Attorney Crystal Dozier, who is rep - resenting Reuter, said that her client is still technically an employee of the town. A few months ago, there was a settlement conference where the town would have paid $400,000 but the Township Council rejected that and it went to trial. The outcome of the trial was the $1.6 million award, four times as much.

It’s important to note that the reason for the anxiety was anti-Semitic harassment, according to Reuter. However, the jury didn’t agree that the charge of religious discrimination had any merit.

The jury found that the discrimination for the anxiety was “severe or pervasive,” Dozier said. That is one thing the case was trying to prove.

The jury doesn’t disagree that the anti-Semitic comments happened, but disagrees that they were severe or pervasive, she said. The jury didn’t believe that the alleged anti-Semitism was one of the factors.

Berkeley Township is the main defendant in the case, and the people named were superiors who allegedly discriminated against her or allowed it to happen. While Amato, as mayor, has a full time job outside town and is not overseeing every aspect of daily operations, Dozier took issue with that.

“If he can’t keep control of his town, I don’t see how he’s fit for a higher position,” she said.

Non-Profit Groups & Vendors Wanted Beach Ball Blast

BERKELEY – The 12th Annual Beach Ball Blast is rapidly approaching. This premier event hosted by the Ocean County Parks and Recreation Department usually draws a large crowd of all ages.

The evening will include a variety of food trucks, games, and music by Jimmy and the Parrots, who were named the best “Trop Rock” band in the country.

Non-profit groups are invited, free of charge, to use this event as a fundraiser by providing various activities, food, or organizational information. They are also accepting food and craft vendors for a small fee. This year’s event will take place on July 21 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. If you are interested in participating, contact: Victoria at 732-506-9090 ext. 5951 or email vwagner@co.ocean.nj.us.

Know Your Risks

There is a long list of possible complications that comes with any kind of surgery, including plastic surgery, which is why many people are looking for non-surgical options for cosmetic cures. Unfortunately, even these options are not without risk. Liquid nose jobs are a newer technique in which a doctor injects fillers to reshape the patient’s nose. However, if that filler includes a product that contains calcium hydroxyapatite, it may lead to serious pain and possible loss of vision in one or both eyes. This happens when the injected filler blocks the flow of blood to the choroid, the vascular layer of the eye that provides oxygen and nutrients to the outer layers of the retina.

Taking care of your eyes and vision may mean you need to see an ophthalmologist and an optometrist at some point in your lifetime. For certain eye issues, these two types of eye care professionals often work together to help patients get the best results. Ophthalmologists offer a wide range of eye care services along with more specialized surgical expertise. They can provide eye exams, as well as diagnosis and treatment for common and serious eye disorders, like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts. To schedule an exam, please call SIGHTMD NEW JERSEY SUSSKIND & ALMALLAH EYE ASSOCIATES at 732-349-5622. We offer evening hours most nights of the week. P.S. Inflammation of the choroid is called choroiditis.

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