Paranormal Investigators Explore Old Museum
Patrons at the New Egypt Historical Society Schoolhouse Museum gather with members of the New Jersey Paranormal Investigators before their adventure begins.
By Bob Vosseller
PLUMSTED – It was a chilling autumn evening in October that brought a dozen people to the New Egypt Historical Society Museum for a paranormal experience.
Actually it was a rather humid late summer night, but we at JerseyShoreOnline.com wanted to set the mood for this story that follows several members of the public on a spirited jaunt to see what might be haunting the
old building.
They joined investigators of New Jersey Paranormal Investigations (NJPI) who guided them around the museum’s creaky stairway and the musty recesses of a dank basement. They utilized a variety of devices to look for clues. One of the tools wasn’t so high tech – it was a life like cat toy designed to make any ghostly inhabitants of the aged museum feel comfortable enough to poke their spectral heads out to say “hi” to those
Five Seek Three School Board Seats
By Bob Vosseller
JACKSON – Five School Board candidates are running for three, 3-year terms on the school board on November 5.
Two of the candidates are former Board members, Gustavo “Gus” Acevedo running as the only candidate with a slogan, “Gus For Us” and Michael Walsh who are seeking to unseat incumbents Tina Kas and Erica Osmond. Also on the ballot is Jason Such.
The Jackson Times asked the candidates several questions concerning their
background, past experience, thoughts on curriculum and how they felt about the fiscal future of the school district. Not all candidates responded for this article.
Michael Walsh said he was seeking to serve on the Board “to use my knowledge and experience as a teacher/administrator to maintain the high academic standards of the Jackson district while protecting the non-tested areas of the curriculum such as social studies, foreign language, music, art,
(BOE - See Page 16)
Ordinance Would Limit Homes At Adventure Crossing
By Bob Vosseller
JACKSON – The governing body recently voted to table an ordinance that would limit the number of residential housing units that can be built at Adventure Crossing on Monmouth Road.
The council introduced Ordinance 33-24 last month. It would impact any highway commercial mixed-use zone. Its purpose was stated by officials as closing a loophole in the ordinance governing the Adventure Crossing project that allows high-density residential development on the 300-acre site.
seeking some communication with those who have crossed over to the other side.
Those along for a ride paid a fee as part of a fundraiser for the museum and they were eager to learn more about those who once called the museum their home. Hopes were high for attendees to communicate with a ghostly former resident of what was once a prominent farmhouse.
(Museum - See Page 4)
Council President Jennifer Kuhn explained the ordinance would serve as an adjustment within the township land use code “focusing on residential density standards” and would “revise the number of dwelling units to four units per useable acre as opposed to four units per gross acreage which would triple the allowable units.”
“This adjustment will better align to our residential density standards with the needs of our community while promoting smart growth in the area,” the council president said.
Three years ago, 450 units were approved as part of the second phase of the project. According to a June article in Real Estate New Jersey, Adventure Crossing owner Vito Cardinale indicated that zoning permitted 1,200
(Ordinance - See Page 5)
Tensions Flare At Rezoning Workshop
By Bob Vosseller
PLUMSTED – A recent meeting of multiple township boards had a relatively small turnout of residents and numerous loud moments as a familiar zoning proposal was examined further.
The joint board workshop meeting was held at the New Egypt High School auditorium and marked the third discussion about a controversial ordinance that would rezone four property lots in downtown New Egypt
from R-40 (residential) to C-4 Zoning that would allow for residential and commercial. The issue has been the topic of debate since August’s Township Committee meeting.
Mayor Dominick Cuozzo said he had worked to establish a redevelopment fund in the township. “It doesn’t have any money in it. We will be receiving money as we go forward.” In order to develop he noted that 22 existing units would need to be rehabilitated
(Rezoning - See Page 17)
Photo by Bob Vosseller
Museum:
Continued From Page 1
Haunted New Egypt ghost hunter Mike Castro explained “this is a public event ghost hunt with NJ Paranormal Investigations. Haunted New Egypt is the paranormal side of the New Egypt Historical Society. We book people to come in and we donate all the proceeds to the museum. We don’t take anything off of that. All the money goes into the donation bin and we like to showcase the history, the location and hopefully some paranormal activity.”
“As investigators we come in and we use our equipment our EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) devices and gather EVPs,” he added. Paranormal enthusiasts consider EVP to be a form of paranormal phenomenon often found in recordings with static or other background noise. Scientists regard EVP as a form of auditory pareidolia (interpreting random sounds as voices in one’s own language) and a pseudoscience promulgated by popular culture.
Castro, a resident of Pemberton said, “I’ve been investigating this location now for 2 ½ half years. I am very familiar with the location. There has been a lot of unexplainable activity and I’m an open-minded skeptic.”
“You get some people who will believe ev-
ery knock and believe it is a ghost. I try and at least debunk prior to making any claims but there have been some things happening that we can’t explain,” he added.
Castro noted, “there are a lot of locations in New Egypt. We have a lot of older buildings; some are historic and some are private homes that they claim are haunted. We’ve done homes in Philadelphia, Columbus, Springfield, Jobstown - all over the place and its really cool and interesting experience.”
“I have a magazine called Ghosted Magazine. I go to haunted locations all over the country,” Castro said.
The basement and what was once a bedroom that now serves as an exhibit to Stanley Dancer, a harness racing legend and the father of the late Plumsted Mayor/ Assemblyman Ron Dancer, were two prominent locations to investigate paranormal activity in the museum. There was also a third floor room and attic space that was probed for poltergeists.
“There has been action on third floor,” NJPI member Barry Ruggiero said. “I have not for all the times we have been here tested for the third floor. I was there about 20 minutes and felt a little warm. Feel free to wander around,” he told the participants.
Although it is now a museum, it had been a farmhouse built in 1815. It was sold to
Benjamin Shinn who lived there with his wife and six children. His wife Rebecca died in 1829 and he remarried years later and they had one daughter. Benjamin died in 1835 and the property was sold a year later. It was listed as a plantation and sold to Jane Bryant. John Holmes purchased the property and later the Singleton family bought it and owned it.
The Singletons sold it in 1965 and it saw several more owners until it was leased to the New Egypt Historical Society. There have been unexplained shadows reported, knocks, whispers within the building and it is believed that some energy from past residents is locked within artifacts that are within the museum.
Lakehurst resident Michele DiMeo is a long-time enthusiast of the paranormal and member of NJPI who joined her fellow members for the event which featured a mission briefing and group photo prior to their search. She and fellow member Sandy Burkard joined some of the guests and this reporter in the basement, setting up their light emitting devices and positioning their faux feline on the floor.
DiMeo said the cat has a device on its collar, “if anything comes near it, you’ll hear it but you may not see the collar light and if the (presence) pushes on it you will see the collar light up.”
“They show themselves to you as they
The Jackson Times welcomes your special announcements! Engagements, Weddings, Births, Birthday Wishes, etc. Please call 732-657-7344 for more details!
wish. There are plenty of times when we are at a location and it is quiet and nothing is going on for hours and it is part of the process. I am always very respectful when I am asking questions and introducing myself. I am sure there are many things they are frustrated by so I choose to be kind,” DiMeo added.
DiMeo explained trip wires and lantern devices pick up electromagnetic signals, “so if something comes near it, it will be triggered by it. If we are in a space - a home usually - we’ll walk around and do a sweep of the area first and try to find if there is something in the home that is electric that is giving off fields because in that aspect we want to stay away because you are going to get a false reading.”
“Spirits are drawn to that kind of field which is why we use that type of equipment. A lot of this equipment is hundreds of dollars and can easily be broken so this is a very expensive hobby so that is why we keep most equipment stationary in a room,” she added.
Over the course of the evening the two main locations did show some flickering of lights indicating paranormal inhabitation as attendees posed questions. Those who took part voiced their enjoyment of having been part of the event and some said they were looking forward to another ghost hunt.
REPUBLICAN TEAM
Ordinance:
Continued From Page 1
Cardinale spoke during the ordinance’s introduction saying, “not once did anyone have the respect and decency to just ask a question. Did anyone believe all the rumors that Adventure was closing down? That we were not going to do an MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Center?”
“Not only are we going to do an MS Center but we are building a school. We bought more property on the other side of Six Flags (Great Adventure) so we can put more commercial on our project. If I have to put a sign up, I have to have a permit. If you want to put a sign up for a political event you put it on my lawn,” Cardinale said. He accused the governing body of wanting to change the township’s zoning for political reasons. “I’m building a project to help people all over the world. Tell me what we have done wrong for you to come in and change our zone on a piece of property that we own?”
“No, I am not going to build 3,000 homes. We are not dropping the commercial (projects) we got more than what we were approved for. Are you basing all this on rumors?” Cardinale asked.
Cardinale said, “it was the vision of the mayor and I many years ago to make Route 537 a beautiful corridor with a company called Six Flags Great Adventure. We are going to employ thousands of people and we’re not going to hurt anybody but you will.”
“You will destroy a ratable and hurt all those small businesses that will go out of business
because they don’t have a residential component to buy. You don’t have all the facts,” he added.
Councilman Nino Borrelli spoke in support of Ordinance 33-24 stating that it “reinforces our commitment as residents’ elected representatives on this Council to stop and protect our town from overdevelopment and high-density housing that will help keep our town a suburban community.”
He added that “development in our town is a big issue and concern we continually hear about from many residents. With this ordinance, we’re taking action and getting ahead of it and preventing approximately 800 or more housing units from being built between Adventure Crossing and Great Adventure.”
Borrelli said that such construction “would detrimentally impact the traffic issues already occurring in that area of our town. With this ordinance, we’re limiting the impact to Jackson residents who live in that area and the people who frequent that area.”
Council Vice President Scott Sargent asked Kuhn if this ordinance should first be referred to the committee reviewing the township’s master plan. “Is this something normally done through the council?”
“I’m going to move forward with it through council and not wait for the master plan,” she replied.
The vote was unanimous to introduce the ordinance. However, it takes two meetings to enact an ordinance. One introduces the ordinance and the second one finalizes it.
During the latest Council meeting she explained the reason it was tabled (held off from voting) was to allow the planning
board to review it for compliance with the master plan, which remains under review.
Pre-Election Comments
In other news, Councilman Steven Chisholm denounced what he described as political shenanigans that he witnessed in Jackson during the campaign season with the theft of campaign signs and personal name calling on social media. He said such posts went way beyond political policy disagreements. He spoke about his absence on this year’s ballot. “People asked me, and I’ve been quiet, why didn’t I run? Well, I was going to run for
a second term. I will just say that something happened in the back room.”
“You can ask me about it later, but just figure out that the most conservative person in all of Jackson, the most Republican person, did not get the endorsement of the Republican Party and that should worry you,” Chisolm added.
Council Vice President Scott Sargent stood up at that point and started clapping which appeared to surprise those seated at the dais. Sargent previously urged residents “to go out and vote. It is imperative that you vote. I would hate to see you be that person that didn’t go out to vote and your candidate lost.”
OPINIONS & COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL
States To Watch In November – Part 6
In this final installment of this exhaustive look at the exhausting 2024 election, we’re going to focus on some so-called “swing states” as well as some minor elections that might normally be lost in the confusion.
I think it’s funny that a lot of states are being called “battleground” or “swing” states because they normally vote Democrat but voted for Trump in 2016. Trump’s popularity - and Clinton’s unpopularitywere anomalies. I think the political surface has evened out since then and the states are closer to their predictable ways. It’s also important to remember that 2016 had several strong 3rd party candidates: Libertarian Gary Johnson, Green
Jill Stein and independent Bernie Sanders. Those three muddied the waters and acted as spoilers. Before we get to our one true swing state, let’s take some quick looks at a few states that have interesting things happening in them but not so interesting that they warrant a full entry.
Maryland - Democrat Ben Cardin is not running for re-election for the Senate and it’s surprisingly competitive. Republicans think they have a chance at flipping the seat but the state has a solid history of voting for Democrats so it’s not likely.
Nebraska - Nebraska awards one Electoral College vote each to its two congressional districts, and the 2nd District has split
from the rest of the reliably conservative state. Donald Trump won the district in 2016, but lost it to Joe Biden in 2020. The district is leaning in polls toward Kamala Harris this year. Basically, a lot of people will be talking about this 1 vote on election night. Whatever.
Texas - When researching, I noticed that a lot of websites had Texas as “leans Republican” or something of that nature, instead of the deep red that we actually know it to be. This is because in 2018, Senator Ted Cruz beat Democrat Beto O’Rourke only 4,260,553 to 4,045,632. The closeness of this election led people to speculate that Texas is almost a swing state. But 2018 had the Blue Wave. Also, O’Rourke was an
extremely popular candidate facing off against an extremely unpopular Cruz. Cruz is up for re-election again this year, up against a fairly popular Colin Allred, but Cruz will probably be carried by Trump voters to victory.
Virginia - People are calling Virginia a battleground state but I don’t see it. The state has voted for Democrats for president - even when that Democrat was Hillary Clinton - for the last four cycles. Clinton’s VP pick, Tim Kaine, is up for re-election to the senate this year and is predicted to have a huge win over the Republicans’ relatively unknown candidate, Hung Cao. My prediction is that on election night a lot of people on your TV are going to be talking about Virginia for no good reason.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
North Carolina
Unlike other states, North Carolina is actually a swing state in every sense of the world. In 2020, they voted in a Democrat for governor, a Republican for lieutenant governor, and Trump for president. North Carolina was the only state in which Trump won with less than 50% of the vote. He beat Biden by just 74,483 votes. The Democrat governor won re-election by a much larger margin of 248,185 votes. Crazy. And speaking of crazy, the gubernatorial election is looking pretty insane and might have some repercussions.
North Carolinians actually elect their governor and lieutenant governor in separate spots on the ballot. This is why the governor is a Democrat and the lieutenant
is a Republican. The winner of the lieutenant governor election in 2020 was Mark Robinson, and he’s running for governor this year. I’m not going to get into some of the statements that have been attributed to him, but if you want to Google it, go right ahead. The point is, it’s looking bad for him. The Democrat he’s up against is the attorney general, who has popularity and a fraction of the scandal. North Carolina’s two senators are Republicans. Neither are up for re-election. So, the state is trending Republican, but it’ll be late into the night before any news programs call this state and its 16 Electoral Votes.
Chris Lundy Editor
The celebration of Brick Medical Center’s 40 th anniversary has a special and personal meaning for me. On October 27, 2023 I suffered a life-threatening aortic rupture. All the symptoms were indicative of a heart attack, or other cardiac issues. Paramedics transported me, unconscious, to Brick Hospital’s
ER. Dr. Muhammed Raza diagnosed my condition as an aortic “rupture.” He called for rapid deployment, Hackensack Meridian’s emergency transport helicopter. Still unconscious, I was flown to University of Pennsylvania-Philadelphia. The medical flight crew attempted to stabilize me as I was experiencing a life-threatening situation. The helicopter crew ensured that I was handed off
The Jackson 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 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@jerseyshoreonline.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 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.
to University of Pennsylvania medical personnel. On October 28, 2023, I underwent a 7-hour operation at the hands of Dr. Kendall Lawrence. The ascending aorta had “ruptured,” entailing an aortic dissection. I was in a medically induced coma for 5 days, and then 2 weeks in the Intensive Care Unit. After my release, I spent 2 weeks at Encompass Rehabilitative Facility.
I was able to be home for Thanksgiving Day. Survival rates for such as I experienced are miniscule. Were it not for the care of the first responders – getting me to Brick ER, the diagnosis by Dr. Raza and his medical team, led by Dr. Lawrence at U Penn, the nursing care for 2 weeks, and then the rehabilitative therapy at Encompass…were it not for them, I would not be here today.
The help of neighbors, friends, and family – their assistance, their prayers, and the grace of God pulled
me through. Hackensack Meridian’s helicopter saved my life. Had I not been transported to U Penn as rapidly as I was, I would not have survived.
I thank ALL those that had a hand in my survival. Every one of them played an integral part in keeping me alive.
My deepest appreciation goes out to the teams that kept me on this side of the grass.
Domenick Bizzarro Brick
Stop
Normalizing Trump
Isn’t it about time for media editors, journalists, writers and news readers to cease and desist their normalizing Donald Trump and his thoughts, words and deeds!
These so-called professional journalists virtually kicked Joe Biden out of the presidential race for
age-related impairments, although he remains a well-functioning President.
Simultaneously, these media people ignore the fact that Donald Trump is now the oldest person ever to have run for the office of president in the history of the United States of America! Obviously, he will continue to age as he sits in the Oval Office, with no intention of stepping down at the completion of his term of office in 2028. Will America endure a dictator in his 90s?
The media in general have abandoned all semblance of fairness and impartiality... due perhaps to the entertainment value of Trump’s appearances and rants. The moderators of the debate between Trump and Harris tried valiantly to get a straight answer or any answer at all from Trump, even while conscientiously requesting information and specifics of her policies from Harris. Donald Trump has successfully demol -
ished the concept and reality of normalcy. The media has accepted the abnormal in Trump - and he gets passes for all his errors of judgment - yet expects his opponent to deliver cogent and compelling data! But the worst repudiation of journalistic responsibility is pretending that Trump is fully functional mentally. Any other person who thinks, acts and speaks as he does - heavy on the anger and threats of vengeance but incapable of delivering a clear sentence with accurate details - would be tagged as mentally ill.
Well, friends, Donald Trump is mentally ill, incapable of telling the truth, paranoid, spewing hatred, bordering on sadistic personality yet believing himself to be greatest man in human history!
Who votes for an insane person? Those who share his insanity!
Patricia Barr Lakewood
Celebrating Brick Hospital
Capitol Comments
Assemblyman Alex Sauickie
S potlight o n g overnment
Correspondence & Commentary From Your Local, County, State & Federal Officials
An Urgent Job For The Next President
TRENTON - Sometimes here I write about a serious issue, and can still make a lighthearted comment or include some amusing wordplay. This is not one of those times.
As a father of five, I worry about some things that may affect my own children and others. But one need not be a parent to recognize the absolute nightmare of child trafficking, and in particular, child sex trafficking.
An example of this awful crime was reported recently after two arrests were made in Florida. According to CBS12, an investigation began on October 17 due to an anonymous tip about a 15-year-old runaway girl from New York.
Police said photos of the girl were found in a source known for advertising trafficked “commercial sex workers,” according to the report. After a brief investigation the very next day at the address on the ad, sheriff’s officers followed the suspects from there to a motel.
There, they found the victim in one room and the suspects in another, along with evidence of sexual activity, two phones, and cash in the room where the girl was found. The phones revealed conversations be -
Bill
Would
tween the victim and one of the suspects that indicated grooming and sex trafficking. Documentation of transactions was found as well, and the victim reportedly told deputies the trafficker would coordinate encounters with men for money and direct them to the minor victim’s room.
The female suspect was charged with up to ten counts of sex trafficking a minor. At the time of the report, the male suspect was still being investigated regarding his knowledge of sex trafficking, but is charged with other offenses.
The sheriff’s office said the male suspect had been arrested previously for an attempted homicide in New York and drug charges in Miami. The sheriff indicated that both suspects are illegal immigrants from South America.
At a press conference, the sheriff called it “unconscionable” that the suspect was free after an arrest for attempted murder and another arrest for drug trafficking. While this case shows the vulnerability of American kids, another story in the news relates to the vulnerability of unaccompanied illegal immigrant children. It springs from a report by the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The report points to a frightening failure of government agencies to protect unaccompanied children who entered the country illegally. It concluded that “U.S. Immigra-
tion and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not monitor the location and status of all unaccompanied migrant children (UCs) or initiate removal proceedings as needed.”
The report states that “ICE reported more than 32,000 UCs failed to appear for their immigration court hearings from [federal fiscal years] 2019 to 2023.” It also says ICE didn’t serve all UCs with notices to appear in court, even though they should have been subject to removal proceedings under federal law.
As of May 2024, ICE had not served more than 291,000 UCs, so they don’t even have an immigration court appearance date. Adding that number to the number who had failed to appear in court yields 323,000 children whom critics say have gone missing due to the Biden-Harris administration’s immigration policies.
Others point out that that number spans both the Trump and Biden administrations. That’s true, as the first two-and-a-quarter fiscal years examined are Trump administration years.
But the same report says the number of children transferred from ICE to the Department of Health and Human Services for housing placement skyrocketed from the Trump years to the Biden years, from 15,000 in the final full Trump year to 121,000 in Biden’s first. That’s an 800% increase and enough children to fill the Prudential Center five times over.
The report said immediate action is needed to ensure the safety of these children,
as those “who do not appear for court are considered at higher risk for trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor.”
Moreover, a writer published in The Free Press spent some time with the head of a nonprofit that investigates child trafficking and reports the locations of potential victims to law enforcement. She asked if the sex trafficking of immigrant girls increased when border policy changed.
The investigator said that ads for sex with immigrant girls “exploded” shortly afterward, and now they comprise over 90% of such ads. Spanish language ads and sites dedicated to Latino girls greatly increased, she said.
I sponsor a bill to eliminate the statute of limitations for prosecuting human trafficking, placing that horrendous crime in the same category as murder; manslaughter; sexual assault, and certain crimes that cause widespread injury or damage. I also voted for a bill, now law, requiring the state Attorney General to conduct outreach and provide services to victims of human trafficking.
But that’s not nearly enough. Whomever is the next president must take quick and effective action to end the scourge of child sex trafficking.
Alex Sauickie is a life-long Jackson resident who represents his home town and 12 other towns in the State Assembly. Follow him on Facebook (/AssemblymanAlex) and on Instagram (@AssemblymanAlex), or visit his website at AssemblymanAlex.com.
Name New Toms River Veterans Clinic After Local Hero
From The Desk Of
Congressman Chris Smith
TOMS RIVER - Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th), introduced legislation (HR 9997) to name the new veterans clinic in Toms River after World War II hero and longtime Toms River resident, 2nd Lt. Leonard G. “Bud” Lomell, Jr. Smith’s bill, which notes that Lomell is “exceedingly deserving of the posthumous honor,” is already cosponsored by Reps. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
“A decorated war hero and upstanding citizen, Bud Lomell sacrificed so much for our
country and courageously led his platoon during the D-Day invasion of Normandy,” said Smith, who served two terms as Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
“For his incredible leadership and remarkable bravery, Bud Lomell received a Purple Heart, Silver Star and Bronze Star.”
“It is only fitting that the new modern health care facility in Toms River that will serve so many of our nation’s heroes living in our community be named after one of our very own heroes from Ocean County,” Smith said.
Smith’s legislation has received the strong support of the entire Lomell Family - including Bud’s surviving wife, Charlotte Lomell, who was married to Bud for 63 years.
After citing Lomell’s extraordinary heroism, HR 9997 concludes: “As a decorated war
hero, model citizen, and dedicated husband and father, Lomell is exceedingly deserving of the posthumous honor of having a new and long-awaited Toms River-based Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic named in his honor.”
Lomell, who served as a U.S. Army Ranger in World War II through multiple engagements including the Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, was recognized by famed historian Stephen Ambrose as “the single individual - other than Dwight Eisenhower - as most responsible for the Allied successes on D-Day.”
Lomell was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his valor and leadership while scaling the cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc in a critical and highly difficult mission to disable an installment of German heavy guns. He later earned a Silver Star for his actions to capture and secure Hill 400 in the Battle of Hurtgen
Forest, during which he led the Rangers in defending the hilltop against a German counterattack, even after being severely wounded.
After serving our nation overseas, Lomell returned home to Ocean County and became President of the Ocean County Bar Association, a director of the First National Bank of Toms River, and a member of the then Dover Township Board of Education. He died of natural causes in 2011 at his Toms River home. The new Toms River clinic - a 68,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility located on Hooper Ave - will replace Ocean County’s Brick clinic that Smith secured in 1991 but can no longer accommodate the large veterans population in the area. As part of his push to establish that clinic, Smith had authored three amendments passed by the House of Representatives to bring a Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinic, for the first time, to Ocean County.
Fire Company Hosts Successful Fire Prevention Open House
JACKSON – The Jackson Mills Fire Company and Jackson Fire District #4’s officers and members extend their gratitude to all attendees of the annual Fire Prevention Open
courtesy Jackson Township Fire District No.4 House, which proved highly successful. Appreciation is also expressed to the Jersey Shore Merk for their invaluable support during the event.
Westlake Veterans Club “Veterans Resource Fair”
JACKSON – The Westlake Veterans Club’s “Veterans Resource Fair” will be on November 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Westlake Golf & Country Club, 1 Pine Lake Circle, Jackson.
Learn about federal and state benefits and programs you may qualify for. Representatives will be present from the following agencies; The Veterans Administration, New Jersey Department Of Military & Veterans Affairs, The Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau, The Mental Health Association Of New Jersey, The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Association, Vetworks, and
many others.
For those veterans wishing to use Motor Vehicle Commission Services their Outreach Van will be on site. The following services will be available - please note you must bring proper ID with you for each! To add the word “veteran” to your driver’s license: (Bring a copy of your DD-214). To get a “disabled veteran placard”: (Bring Disability Rating Letter & DD-214).
For additional information or to request a table, contact: Westlake Veterans Club at: wlvrfair@gmail.com; Luisa Sanchez: luisa. sanchez@dmava.nj.gov.
Photo
Jackson Liberty Lion Band Become Region Champions
JACKSON – The Jackson Liberty Lion Band are Region Champions! They are bringing home another banner! Best Music, Best Percussion, Best Visual. Congratulations to the students, staff and parents for all their hard work!
Music Students Experience Quintet Performance
JACKSON – On October 17, the Jackson Liberty High School Academy of Music students attended a performance at the Grunin Center as part of the academy’s “Master Experience.” They had the opportunity to listen, interact and ask questions to a group titled Nobuntu, a female quintet from Zimbabwe. The quintet performed with pure voices, augmented
Photo courtesy Jackson Liberty Lion Band by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the mbira (thumb piano) and organic, authentic dance movements. It was an amazing experience as the students had the opportunity to sing, dance and learn their language while interacting with the group. The question-and-answer session was certainly a rewarding experience for the kids.
Crochet, Knitting Group At The Senior Center
JACKSON – The crochet/knit group meets up every Tuesday at 11 a.m. Skilled crocheters and knitters are available for advice, group projects and of course friendship! Call the Jackson Senior Center for more information and how to register: 732-928-2313.
Photo courtesy Jackson Liberty Lion Band
Police Officers Visit Local Soccer Team
PLUMSTED – On October 16, officers from the Plumsted Police Department (and members of PBA 390) were able to visit the 7th and 8th grade boys and girls soccer team. As seen in the picture the captains for both
courtesy Plumsted Police teams are displaying the new jerseys which were donated.
Good luck with the rest of your season warriors, and wear your new blue & gold jerseys with pride!
Volunteers Have Cats Available For Adoption
of whom work at a spay and neuter clinic. People would drop off unwanted cats. As a group, they save the babies that are left alone, the countless mothers that have had numerous litters and those that are losing or have lost their home.
Anton is so sweet and so handsome. About 3 months old, this cutie gets along with other cats and kittens and lives with a big dog. He jumps on his foster mom’s bed at night for some snuggles where he will roll over and want his belly rubbed. To help humanely lower the feline population, they spay and neuter feral cats and then find homes for the friendly adults and the offspring that have been born. The rescue works extremely hard to find the best homes for cats of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. While these cats wait, they are cared for in safe, loving, and nurturing foster homes
To start the application process, visit Calling All Cats on Facebook and Petfinder.com.
Millstone Elks Thanksgiving Dinner
MILLSTONE – Millstone Elks Thanksgiving Dinner will be held on November 10 from 2 to 6 p.m. at 22 Burnt Taven Road, Millstone Township.
All veterans and their families will enjoy a free Thanksgiving style buffet
courtesy of the Millstone Elks Veterans Committee.
Come out to support our veterans and enjoy a bountiful feast. Cost is $15 per person, $5 for children under 10. For more information, call 609-259-8911.
EDUCATORS! Have a special event planned for your class? Let everyone know by placing a news release in this paper! Call 732-657-7344 to find out how!
Photo courtesy Calling All Cats
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n ew S
Animal Rescue Group Needs Donations
JACKSON – Rescue Ridge is a non-profit, no-kill, all-volunteer animal rescue group works tirelessly to find homes for all its animals in need. Founded in 2001 out of Spring Lake, the group had rapidly expanded with the love and support from the local communities. With five adoption centers for cats, foster homes for both cats and dogs, and two local kenneling sites for dogs (one kennel located in Howell), not to mention its active adoption events, this group is always in need of basic supplies. We pull from local high kill shelters, receive calls for help and take in strays, etc. We are now asking the local communities for help in allowing us to continue our mission of saving lives. Rescue Ridge currently has approximately 145 volunteers and counting. This alone shows you how dedicated this group is to giving animals a second chance in life. We incur very high vet bills, along with all the medication, sheltering expenses and so much more. It is with this we ask for basic supplies.
“The mission of Rescue Ridge is to rescue. Our dream is to one day won’t have to.”
Highland Kennel, one of the two rescue group’s locations is located at 1424 Maxim Southard Road, Howell, will be accepting donations for animals in their care. There is a donation bin by the front door and drop off times are best from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. then from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. The animal rescue group also offers kenneling
availability to the public at this location. Rescue Ridge is asking for basic supplies: monetary donations, gift cards to Pet Smart.
For our dogs the group is in great need of: wee wee pads, dog pick up bags, wet or dry food for dogs - chicken is best, dog treats –must say made in USA, hard rubber toys such as Kong. We cannot give stuffed toys as they destroy them and eat the material and need to be careful of squeakers.
For our cats the group is in great need of: Friskies wet food or Fancy Feast any flavor, “Simply Green” or “Rescue” Cleaner to help clean cat cages and clumping litter.
For overall keeping the shelter clean, the group is in need of basic supplies: paper towels, laundry detergent (h/e is best), large garbage bags (industrial size), and bleach (must say kills 99%).
Office supplies - in great need of copy paper and stamps.
Please no more sheets, blankets, collars or leashes as we have a lot that has been donated. We greatly appreciate all that has been donated.
If you or anyone you know can help with any of these items, please donate Rescue Ridge is always in need.
If you are interested in adoption or have a question, call 732-546-8805 or text, email is rescueridgeshelter@gmail.com. You can also visit our website and view our amazing animals at rescueridge.com.
Disabled American Veterans Meeting
JACKSON – Disabled American Veterans Chapter 77 in Jackson meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the VFW on Magnolia Drive in Jackson. All men and women veterans are welcome. Male and female Service Officers are available to assist veterans with claims to the Veterans Administration.
The DAV’s main purpose is to assist veterans and their families in securing the benefits they are entitled to. We help all veterans. You do not have to be a member to receive our assistance.
Correspondence can be sent to: PO Box 1571 Jackson, NJ 08527. Contact Patrick McGoohan at 732-275-5851 for more information.
Jackson Liberty Lion Band Clothing Drive
JACKSON – The Jackson Liberty Lion Band will be hosting a clothing drive on November 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jackosn Liberty High School, 125 N Chapel Road.
They will be collecting new or gently used clothing, shoes, purses, belts, bed
VETERAN’S DAY CELEBRATION
and bath linen, and stuffed animals. Every piece helps! They can also accept bicycles and baby strollers.
No pillows, books, toys, furniture, appliances, or household items can be collected. Thank you for the support! Any questions, contact fundraising@libertylionband.com.
Elks Polar Bear Plunge Team
Retro Dance Party
NEW EGYPT – Southwest District Polar Bear Plunge Team is holding a Retro Dance Party on November 16 from 6 to 11 p.m. at New Egypt Elks.
We’re going back to the 80s and 90s! DJ Jackpot (resident DJ at QXT in Newark) will be spinning the hits.
Cost is $250 per person and includes buffet dinner. Cash bar. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Must be 21 or older. Proceeds benefit the Elks Southwest District Polar Bear Plunge Team to raise funds for special needs children. Contact Loretta Walsh at 732-600-7738 to reserve tickets.
Sound News
Presented By: Isidore Kirsh, Ph.D., F.A.A.A. (N.J. Lic. #678)
Possible Prevention Of Hearing Loss Through Better Nutrition
Research seems to confirm a relationship between a healthy cardiovascular system and hearing health. As most of you know, optimal nutrition should be based around “whole foods” - fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts, vegetable juices and virgin olive oil. The jury is still out in regard to meat and dairy products, but it is quite clear that meats in general should be free of hormones and antibiotics. “Dead” foods (anything preheated, refined/processed), all processed vegetable oils, margarine, genetically modified products and aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet) should also be avoided, particularly if microwaving. Although I am not a nutritionist, nutritional supplements are probably appropriate for most people. Even though supplements alone cannot provide a complete range of micronutrients that our bodies need to function optimally, they are necessary to counteract basic nutritional deficiencies due to poor eating habits, to treat current health problems, to enhance the immune system and to counteract any
nutritional losses due to prescription medications. Possible supplements might include Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B Complex, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Zinc, Ginkgo Biloba, garlic and fish oil. Other substances such as coenzyme Q10, DHEA, Melatonin and Alpha-Lipoic Acid might be appropriate also. Regular exercise is vital for both cardiovascular fitness and better hearing health.
Research clearly confirms that if we eat right and exercise daily, our overall health will be improved. Although prevention of hearing loss as a function of aging cannot be completely stopped, there are certainly ways to “slow down” the process. The combination of a nutritionally optimal diet, exercise and appropriate hearing aids will lead to a more active lifestyle and improve quality of life.
Dr. Izzy and his Staff are always available to answer questions pertaining to your hearing health care. Please feel free to contact 732-451-3962 or visit gardenstatehearing.com
His offices are in Toms River, Whiting, and Manahawkin. He can be reached at 732-451-3962 or via Web site at gardenstatehearing.com. Dr. Izzy & Staff gives Retirement Community Talks!
Volunteers Needed At New Jersey Blood Services
NEW JERSEY – New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS), a division of New York Blood Center, which provides blood for local patients, is looking for a few good volunteers.
The blood drive volunteer is an integral member of our team whose tasks include assisting donors with registration and/or at the refreshment area.
No medical background necessary. Volunteers should be outgoing to provide friendly customer service, be able to perform
tasks as needed and must provide proof of COVID Vaccination prior to volunteering. Must have transportation. All training is provided including additional precautions for the safety of our team and blood donors. For additional information call or text Sharon Zetts, Manager, NJBS Volunteer Services at 732-850-8906, Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To apply online as a blood drive volunteer, go to: volgistics.com/appform/2127944197.
Hernia Myths Vs. Reality: Causes, Symptoms, And Advanced Treatments
NEW JERSEY – Should hernias be left untreated? Can they heal on their own? Join Hackensack Meridian Health physicians from Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Ocean University Medical Center November 13 from 12 to 1 p.m. for a free webinar as they answer these critical questions and more.
Discover who is at risk, what causes these common yet serious conditions, and how to recognize the signs before they become emergencies. Plus, learn about advanced minimally invasive surgeries that offer faster recovery and better outcomes.
To register, visit: events.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/hernia24.
ere ’ s t o Y our H e A lt H
Dear Pharmacist
Suzy Cohen, R. Ph.
Medications That Can Cause Gastroparesis: What You Need to Know
By Suzy Cohen, R. Ph.
If you often feel bloated, nauseous, or find yourself struggling with persistent fullness, it might not just be what you’re eating, it could be gastroparesis. Other symptoms include heartburn/reflux, belching a lot, or experiencing swings in appetite. Surprisingly, certain medications, which are otherwise meant to help us, can contribute to this condition. For some people, it’s mild, and appreciated - with early satiety you eat less, and lose weight. Many supplements aim to make you feel full faster! But for others, gastroparesis goes behind feeling full or bloated for a few minutes - it can be dangerous and require medical intervention. The well-known weight loss drug Ozempic has recently been associated with gastroparesis, raising concerns about its impact on digestive health. There are many medications that can affect stomach emptying, but here are four major categories:
1. Opioids: Drugs like morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone slow digestion by binding to receptors in the gut, decreasing stomach motility and prolonging the time food stays in the stomach, which can cause gastroparesis symptoms.
2. Anticholinergics: Used for COPD, overactive bladders, allergies or Parkinson’s, these medications block acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that drives muscle contractions in the digestive tract, leading to delayed stomach emptying.
3. Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): TCAs like amitriptyline have anticholinergic effects that reduce gut motility, slowing digestion.
4. Calcium Channel Blockers: Medications such as verapamil relax smooth muscles, including those in the stomach, which can slow food movement through the digestive system.
A lot of people live with this not realizing they have the condition, especially people with hypothyroidism. For those that are uncomfortable enough, a gastroenterologist is the type of physician to see. Diagnosis typically involves tests like gastric emptying studies to evaluate how well the stomach is processing food. Eating differently may or may not help if it’s medication-induced. Hundreds of medications can cause gastroparesis. Dietary changes play a pivotal role in managing the condition. Eating smaller, more frequent meals may ease symptoms. Avoiding foods that are difficult to digest, such as those high in fiber or fats, helps prevent further delays in gastric emptying. Staying hydrated and incorporating liquid meals can also provide nutrition without overloading your stomach.
Natural remedies may offer additional relief depending on the cause of gastroparesis. Ginger is known for its digestive benefits and can stimulate gastric motility. Probiotics can support gut health by balancing beneficial bacteria, which may alleviate some symptoms. Vitamin B12 supplementation is also recommended, especially since people with gastroparesis can have deficiencies due to absorption issues.
Ultimately, a tailored approach combining medication management, dietary adjustments, and natural supplements can help reduce the discomfort associated with gastroparesis. It’s essential to work closely with your healthcare provider to create a plan to solve this. Living with gastroparesis is challenging, and once you find a solution, it will resolve. For a deeper dive into this topic, you can find the full, detailed version of this article on my website at suzycohen.com
(This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist” and “Real Solutions.” For more information, visit www.SuzyCohen.com) ©2024 SUZY COHEN, RPH. DISTRIBUTED BY DEAR PHARMACIST, INC.
Jane Kunka was recently in Barnegat Light taking some photos. She saw this seagull hanging out by the green moss & seaweed covered rocks. Want to see your pic in this space? Email photos@jerseyshoreonline.com and you may see it here!
Wreaths Across America
BRICK – Remember all those who serve and teach our children the value of freedom. Help remember as many fallen heroes as possible by sponsoring a wreath at $17 each.
The Governor William Livingston
Chapter of the Daughters of the American revolution goal is 100 wreaths which will be placed on veterans graves at the Atlantic View Cemetery in Manasquan out of GWL Chapter of the DAR and mail to Jane Sink, 121 Jordan Road, Brick NJ 09724.
Check out Micromedia Publications’ website,
R.C. Shea & Assoc. Inside The Law
Esq.
A Couple Of Reasons Why Attorneys Decline Injury Cases
By: Robert C. Shea, Esq. of R.C. Shea & Associates
Unfortunately, in our personal injury practice, law firms cannot accept and undertake the responsibility for every potential case. However, when a case is declined it does not necessarily mean that the case is without merit. Each time an attorney prosecutes a personal injury case this process requires a showing of both liability (legal responsibility or fault of the tortfeasor), and damages (economic and non-economic losses) caused by the fault or wrongdoing of the tortfeasor. During a law firm’s assessment of a potential case, it must perform a careful review and analysis of the facts provided by the potential client and assess the clients’ personal and legal responsibility for the happening of this incident. In New Jersey, if a personal injury plaintiff is found 51% or more responsible for the happening of an accident, then that client will, as a matter of law, be denied any recovery.
N.J.S.A. 2A:15-51 et seq. Similarly, if a client is found 50% or less responsible for the happening of an accident, then that percentage of fault assigned to the client will cause any monetary verdict awarded to the plaintiff to be reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage of fault. So, if a plaintiff is awarded a $100,000 verdict for pain and suffering, but she is found to be 50% at fault for the happening of the accident, then the court will reduce her $100,000 verdict by 50% or $50,000.00.
In addition, law firms must consider the cost of litigation, and litigation these days is very expensive. Sometimes, it is our opinion that the amount of reasonable damages likely to be awarded to a potential client may be inadequate to justify the time and expense required of us to properly represent the potential client. Naturally, that is a matter of opinion, but if a law firm estimates that the cost of litigation will be $20,000.00 and that the likely recovery for the potential client may only be $30,000.00, then the attorney may decline the case. Under this scenario, the client would only recover $6,700.00 and the attorney’s fee for all the time and effort would be $3,300.00. An attorney’s fee is separate from the recovery of the attorney’s out of pocket litigation costs. Our Rules of Court require that an attorney’s litigation costs be deducted from the client’s gross recovery before the attorney calculates his fee and the client’s net recovery.
Michael J. Deem, Esq. is the only double Certified trial lawyer in Ocean County. He is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney, and he is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Lawyers in Civil Trial Law. Contact the attorneys at R.C. Shea & Associates for a free consultation of your personal injury case. (732) 5056-1212.
Jackson Police Now Hiring
JACKSON – Interested in becoming a Jackson Township Class II Police Officer? Know someone who may be interested? They are currently taking applications and resumes for this amazing position. Get hands on experience on your path
to becoming a full-time police officer and work hand in hand with officers to better prepare you for the next step in your journey.
Any questions, you can direct them to Lt. Richard Bosley at rbosley@jacksontwpnj.net.
Michael J. Deem,
Continued From Page 1
physical education, special education and vocational education.
The candidate said he wanted “to keep a balanced budget as the state requires in the future there will be a need for cuts, let’s make them logically.”
Walsh is a retired educator (34 years in the Jackson School District) and taught 25 years in the science department of JMHS. He spent nine years as an administrator in Jackson (7 years in athletics/VP and two years as District Science Supervisor). “Also, I was on the Board of Ed. from 2017 to 2022, two years as president.”
“The Jackson School District has had a very difficult time within the last seven years with drastic state aid funding cuts that have impacted the district with staff reductions, program cuts, postponement of capital projects and most recently the forced sale of a school building that was closed to balance the budget,” he noted.
Walsh added, “With my knowledge of school budgets, I know I can try to direct the tax dollars to the projects in the district
where they will be most efficiently used. I would try to cap increased spending on new programs that are not state or federally mandated and to make sure that the money we have continues to go into repairing and updating the aging facilities in our system.”
As to any changes he would like to see implemented within the school district regarding curriculum Walsh noted, “there is too much emphasis on the big tests while the educational system is moving away from teaching the whole student. It’s not just academics which are taught in our schools but communication skills, socialization skills, physical fitness, job readiness skills, etc.”
“I would see our district continue teaching more the basic technology programs such as keyboarding, software programs like Excel, Word, Power Point and other general computer skills that all students need to succeed. I would try to protect the extracurricular and co-curricular programs such as Middle School and High School Athletics, drama, band, clubs, etc. They are a very important part of a student’s educational experience.
As to the priority of capital improvement projects in next year’s budget Walsh said, “one of the largest drains on the school budget in the last years is the busing. We must get grants to
improve the fleet if it is by changing to electric powered or other means.”
“If the state is going to force our students to walk, we must get with the township and improve sidewalks and crossings. We must remember to upgrade and maintain the facilities as there are still nine buildings with roofs, HVC systems and electrical systems which could be costly to replace if not maintained,” Walsh said.
Tina Kas said “I have served on the board for the past three years. The last two years, I have served as the vice president. I have been a committed member and feel that the board has done its best under the current circumstances.”
“We have been fighting and advocating hard for the district and there is much more to do. Being an incumbent, I am already up to date on all the issues at hand. It is a natural progression to continue my service,” she added.
Kas said she has a background in accounting “which has been helpful with all our financial challenges. Again, being an incumbent board member, I am currently abreast of the continued strategies and plans for the district.”
“The fiscal future is an ongoing challenge. As we all know, the state needs to restructure the S-2 funding formula. Between our administration and advocacy group, we are lobbying hard for fair distribution. The district has done
an admirable job of providing a thorough and efficient education throughout these cuts,” she added.
Kas added, “we actively pursue grants that have helped tremendously within the district. Our students are applying to and getting into top colleges in the United States. All decisions and actions are implemented with the students’ best interests at the forefront.”
As to changes she would you like to see implemented within the school district regarding curriculum, Kas replied, “we are currently updating curriculum resources throughout the district. Our elementary enrichment programs are in the process of restructuring, which is beneficial to our students. In the future, I would like to set a goal for dual enrollment with the local college.”
Concerning priorities of capital improvement projects she answered, “I believe we should prioritize facility upgrades that enhance safety, infrastructure, and efficiency. A key focus should be on our Memorial Transportation Depot. Improvements, such as better maintenance facilities for the buses, repaving, and improved traffic flow.”
Kas noted, “these upgrades will help ensure smoother operations and a safer environment for both staff and the community.”
Comic Book and Toy Collectors To Gather At New Egypt Elks Lodge
PLUMSTED – The New Egypt Comic Book and Toy Show is heading back to the township and will feature dealers from all over the state.
The show is offering exciting collectibles including Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Modern comics, as well as modern and vintage toys, Funko Pops, and various
other collectibles.
The latest show to be held on November 3 will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with $5 admission for adults and children 12 and
under will enter free.
Additionally, the first 100 paid admissions will receive a comic pack, and door prizes will be given randomly throughout the day.
Rezoning:
and 33 will have to be new affordable housing units.
Present as a guest at the workshop was 12th District Senator Owen Henry who answered questions. He reminded residents that the 12th District satellite office is located right in the township. He also spoke in reference to the township school district’s diminished state aid funding.
woods. Nobody develops property to lose money. Right now, the best way to develop property is to develop some of these residential units.” He noted that there would be some restrictions on the commercial development if the proposal were approved and it would also face review and approval by the Land Use Board.
researched by the Township Committee.
During the second workshop meeting of the rezoning proposal, a resident asked “what would happen if the school didn’t get the money” from the sale of property across the street from the Dr. Gerald Woehr Elementary School that the school district is seeking to use to balance their school budget.
Continued From Page 1 (Rezoning - See Page 18)
He said he was hopeful “that we’ll get a state aid formula that works” noting the criticism that the S-2 state aid funding formula has received and its impact on Ocean County school districts such as Jackson, Toms River, Lacey, Brick, Lakewood and Plumsted itself.
Resident Bernard Bahnam asked the senator about the status of litigation by 14 townships that were suing the state for overdevelopment in relation to the state’s regulations on affordable housing.
Sen. Henry responded, “they are fighting this law that has been written in stone. They are suing and this may go to the Supreme Court eventually.”
The mayor commented that with the township’s sewer system could put Plumsted in a vulnerable situation of a builder coming in and utilizing a “builder’s remedy.”
“We could join the lawsuit and spend the money on it but the only case that was successful was a town that didn’t have a sewer system. “The (township’s) sewer system was overlayed with downtown here. It is illegal for us at this time to have our sewer system outside the town center,” Cuozzo said.
The PowerPoint presentation Cuozzo showed during the meeting noted that the township subsidizes the PMUA which is projecting a deficit of $250,000 for the period of July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 and a deficit of $550,000 for the period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. The township provided a $250,000 subsidy for each of the last fiscal years.
It was also noted that the PMUA costs taxpayers’ money whether they have a sewer connection or not. The PMUA currently has 876 connections and it is estimated that 2,000 are needed to help make the authority solvent. The mayor has said that by rezoning those four lots, it opened up commercial possibilities that could add utility connections for the PMUA.
Cuozzo said “commercial is not bad. Nobody is going to build commercial on the back
Many of those who questioned Cuozzo expressed concern that the full impact of approving the rezoning had not been thoroughly
The mayor loudly responded that the state would likely take over the school district, close down all school buildings and sell all the
property. This would leave township students to be transferred to surrounding districts at a greater expense.
During last month’s Plumsted Board of Education meeting however, school officials responded to the same question contradicting the mayor’s description of the situation. While officials from several boards were in attendance, The MUA was not.
Mayor Cuozzo said, “I did receive word back
Rezoning:
Continued From Page 17
that the Municipal Utilities Authority refused to attend but I do see members of the school board here and some members of the Land
Board.”
One resident asked the mayor why the Plumsted MUA (PMUA) had declined to attend. The mayor responded saying, “I do not know. The last time I spoke to the chairman, he told me that he would do everything he
could to make sure I did not get re-elected. The executive director told me (that) asking them to come here tonight was a form of blackmail. I am not blackmailing anyone and take offense to that accusation.”
The Jackson Times reached out to the PMUA for response to the mayor’s comments. The PMUA consists of Chairman Brian Kubiel, Vice Chairman Steven Grosso, Treasurer Beth Kimmick and members Michael Ruppel and Janet Cristman. The authority has two vacant alternate positions.
PMUA Executive Director Biran J. Brach responded stating, “The Plumsted MUA respectfully declined participation in any workshop related to the Township’s rezoning effort in an October 4, 2024 correspondence to the Township, in which the Authority expressed its intention to avoid premature long term planning decisions until such time that comprehensive wastewater management planning can be completed to provide full context on exactly what the Authority’s needs are in
a prioritized, deliberate and thoughtful manner.”
“It was concluded that the Authority could not offer substantive feedback on the rezoning effort at the current time in light of the previous statement. Let it be clear that there was no ‘blackmail’ by the Mayor and he and the rest of the Township Committee have been collaboratively engaged with the MUA for the entirety of my tenure. The Township is, and will continue to be, a trusted partner of the MUA,” Brach added.
CLASSIFIEDS
Misc.
Comics, Cards, Shows - 11/10
Toms River Elks 600 Washington. Artists, writers, crafts, costume groups. Call 609-242-7756. (45)
Personals
Senior Man Looking For A WomanCompanion to honor an cherish for her attention as a married loving couple, 65 years to 70 years will take care of you, let's get together - breakfast or dinner. At your request - call Mark at 732-557-5017. (46)
Services Help Wanted
Real Estate Services Services Services
For Sale
Firewood for sale - $ 250 per cord. free delivery call 732-610 -0447. (49)
Furniture For Sale - Dining room table, 6 chairs and 2 PC China cabinet $1000. 6 piece white wicker bedroom set $500, 3 piece cream sofa bed, love seat, chair $300. Call Barb 973-519-6482. (48)
Items Wanted
COSTUME/ESTATE JEWELRY
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)
$$$ WANTED TO BUY $$$
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, bric-a-brac, select china and crystal patterns. Cash paid. Over 35 years experience. Call Gary Struncius. 732849-6068 (new number). (t/n)
WANTED TO BUY - Old Records for LPs & 45s Rock/Jazz/ Soul/Blues Call Eddie (732829-5908) For 45/78 RPM Doo Wop/Soul/R&B/Rockabilly Call Bob 909-938-4623. (46)
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)
Entire Estates Bought - Bedroom/dining sets, dressers, cedar chests, wardrobes, secretaries, pre-1950 wooden furniture, older glassware, oriental rugs, paintings, bronzes, silver, bric-a-brac. Call Jason at 609-970-4806. (t/n)
Cash - Top dollar, paid for junk, cars running and nonrunning, late model salvage, cars and trucks, etc. 732-928-3713. (t/n)
Used Guns Wanted - All types: collectibles, military, etc. Call 917-681-6809. (t/n)
Coins Wanted - I will buy all U.S. coins minted prior to 1965. Bill Nila The Coin Man 732-477-7225. (52)
DAY Substitutes Needed for Ocean County Vocational Technical School district: Courier, Custodial, School Nurses/RN, Secretarial, Teachers for Trade Skill areas-Audio, Auto, Childcare, Computer, Construction, Cosmetology, Culinary, Dental, Electric, Engineering/Machine Technology, Fashion Design, Heavy Equipment Operator, HVAC, Marine, Medical, Multimedia, Photography, Plumbing, Pre-Nursing, Welding or visit www.ocvts.org. EOE, Please email resume at tedgar@ocvts. org or call 732-240-6414 Ext. 3317. (51)
Certified Home Health Aides - Needed for Ocean County area. Hourly and live-in positions avail. P/T and F/T. Call CCC at 732-206-1047. (t/n)
R.C. Shea and Associates is seeking to hire a paralegal with civil/commercial litigation experience as well as an administrative assistant. Pay and benefits commensurate with experience. Please call Pam Williams, office manager at (732) 505-1212 or email at pwilliams@rcshea.com (t/n)
Bus Driver NEEDED! - Flexible
Scheduling. Perfect for Retiree in Retirement Community. CDL w/ Passenger endorsement required. Call SilverWoods Clubhouse for more information at 732-341-4825. (t/n)
Laundromat Attendant - For FT/ PT Good communication skills, math and min computer knowledge. Transportation needed. Long term commitment only. 732-286-1863. (t/n)
Services
ANGEL APPLIANCE REPAIR732-403-6975. 50+ years serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Senior owned and operated. INSURED, RELIABLE AND HONEST. (47)
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THE RIDE GUY - Takes you anywhere! No limits. Comfy mini-van. References. Call Charlie 732-216-3176 or Email: cr@exit109.com. Let's Go! (t/n)
Nor’easter Painting and Staining, LLC - Interior and exterior. Decks, powerwashing. Affordable. Senior discounts. References. No job too small. Fully insured. 732-6910123. Lic #13VH09460600. (t/n)
Housecleaning - We offer services: House cleaning, laundy, window cleaning, painting, office cleaning, carpet cleaning, shopping, take clothes dry cleaning, typing, office work, demonstration, merchandise in store. Very good prices. Call 732330-4189 or 848-287-3944. (t/n)
Local Experienced Senior Care Giver available for work mornings til 12:00 and evenings after 4:30 pm. Please call Kathy 908-246-7896. (48)
Italian/American Couple - looking to clean, laundry or drive. Please call Christopher or Mary Ann at 732-475-7770 or 732-948-2025. (49)
Learn To Play The - Flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, or drums, from a NJ State Certified Teacher of Instrumental Music, in your home! Call 732-3504427 for more information. (8)
Do You Want Your Car To Look Nice And Shine - Call Lenny Lenny's Mobile Auto Detailing 908-868-4609. (43)
Car Service - 24/7. Doctors, shopping, airports, hospitals, cruise, shops, Atlantic City, family functions, NYC accomodations for large groups. Call for reasonable rates. Kerry 732-606-2725. (42)
Anyone Interested In Having Their - Office, home or apartment cleaned, contact Diane. Honest and reliable. Free estimates. 845-762-9952. (49)
Garden State Property Maintenance - All yard work. Tree-trimming and removal, stump grinding, pavers, decks, flower beds, weeding. 609-661-5470. (t/n)
Adult Care Provider - Filipino Woman seeking live-in job as home healthcare provider for elderly with 10 years experience, with excellent reference. Please call 973-454-6818. (46)
MY HANDY CREW - Home repairs, carpentry, painting, roofing and siding, decks, powerwashing, yardwork, all your home maintenance needs. $ave. Call Clark 732-850-5060. Insured and NJ License #13VH11804800. (44)
When You Need A Caregiver Call Lucy - European Registered Nurse, 25 years. US Eldercare experience, 19 years. Live in/out, hourly, negotiable. 732-657-1409 (H), 732-833-3273 (C). (47)
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PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
By Bob Vosseller
WALL –Health Village
Imaging (HVI) at Wall Circle Park is closer to home, is focused on your needs and now offers 3-dimensional screening and diagnostic mammography.
HVI prides itself on their experience, compassionate care, and convenient medical imaging. Their board-certified radiologists have over 40 years of experience helping patients and doctors with CT Calcium Scoring, High Field Open MRI, CT, Ultrasound, Diagnostic X-ray, Bone Density Testing, Fluoroscopy, and MR/CT Angiography.
Having all of this technology under one roof allows us to tailor testing and service to our patient’s needs, in however many exams are needed. HVI provides high-resolution imaging, detailed analysis, and prompt results from their dedicated staff of radiologists and technologists.
HVI’s Wall office is one of four that offers residents a variety of vital services. Jackson Township a short distance away, Manahawkin and Little Egg Harbor in the southern end of Ocean County serve communities with modern equipment and experienced staff.
The Wall facility is located at 1975 Wall Circle Park Building D on Route 34 South Hours include Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays are 8 a.m. to noon. Appointments can be made by calling 888-2719729.
• 3-D Mammography
• Arthrogram
• CT Calcium Scoring
• DEXA-Bone Density
• Diagnostic Radiology X-Ray
• Fluoroscopy
• High-Field Open MRI & MRA
• Low Dose CT & CTA
Health Village Imaging Serves Community With Experienced Staff And State Of The Art Technology
• Low-Dose Lung Cancer Screening
• MR Angiography
• MSK Ultrasound
• Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging
• Thyroid FNA Biopsy
• Ultrasound
Health Village’s Dan Long said, “we provide the best care possible. This HVI office opened just before the start of the pandemic before that it was called Open MRI at Wall and it was a real staple in the community. A few radiologists from the Open MRI days have retired but, we still have some staple members of that group. We have also added a few new faces that are dedicated to providing the best possible interpretations to our patients exams.”
He noted that the office technical staff are all highly educated. “Our radiologists are part of Hackensack Meridian.”
Diagnostic Radiologist Dr Faisal Shah was busy scanning through MRI images looking at multiple screens to make a determination on medical case.
“Dr. Shah is always very personable and very willing to talk to patients making sure they are having a good experience and with the best results possible,” Long said. His sub specialties include muscular skeletal imaging and breast imaging.
“I’ve been in the profession now for 11 years and I have been here for four years. Radiologists like myself provide the diagnosis for all types of imaging that a patient would undergo. Any time a patient has any type of cat-scan, ultra sound or MRI as a radiologist I am a physician that is board specialized and trained to actually make the diagnosis,” Dr. Shah explained.
He added, “we generate the report and that report then goes to the referring clinician who provided the patient the script. We look at a lot of pictures constantly and I think what makes radiology special is that one
time it will be a neurosurgeon coming in to talk to us the next time it will be an OGBYN and the next time an orthopedic surgeon.”
“We are kind of the crucial nexus for the patient where we have the ability to really see what is going on and give the sub specialist and the general primary care doctor the diagnosis. Radiology when I first started was seen as a specialty, now
I would joke that it is primary too because everybody gets some type of imaging.” Shah added.
Shah noted that most patients generally don’t know the process involved especially when they are concerned about the mystery of what the problem is prior to a diagnosis.
“A lot of times, especially since Covid, we are seeing a lot of people who are not diagnosed prior to instituting some kind of treatment or physical therapy and they really suffer adverse consequences without the diagnosis and then they come to us and get imaging and they had had a small problem but they went out and did physical therapy and now need much bigger surgery,” he added.
“We definitely advocate for patients to get some kind of imaging so that we can either rule in the diagnosis or at least rule out the type before you start on treatment.”
Long said this allows for us to help the physician to prepare the best plan of care.”
“You have people who are cancer survivors and they have their chronic cancer but they could have an acute
The Manahawkin Facility is located at 1301 Route 72
problem not related to the cancer,” Shah noted.
Mammography Technologist Nellie Garced, works at the Wall Township office for two days and the Jackson Township office for two days.
“We have a centralized work flow center, we get a patient who calls in on the schedule within generally a week,” Long said.
“We get people in very quickly,” Garced added.
“We have multiple mammography technologists. It is recommended to come in every year after age 40 unless you have breast cancer history in your family and have a high risk then you should come in starting at age 35. There are women coming in getting breast cancer exams earlier today. We are trying to get it changed to 35 as the baseline because there are women getting breast cancer earlier.”
“We offer mammography and we also offer diagnostic mammography and ultrasound at our Wall site,” Long said.
“Ultrasound being a secondary imaging tool,” Garced added.
W Suites 100 and 220 in Stafford Township Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday by appointment only. Call 888-271-9729.
• 3-D Mammography
• ABVS (Automated Breast Volume Scan)
• Arthrogram
• Bilateral Breast MRI
• Breast Biopsy
• Breast Ultrasound
• DEXA-Bone Density
• Diagnostic X-Ray
• Fluoroscopy
• Low Dose CT & CTA
• Low-Dose Lung Cancer Screening
• MSK Ultrasound
• MRI & MRA
• MR Angiography
• Nuclear Medicine
• PET/CT
• Prostate Cancer Screening
• Thyroid FNA Biopsy
• Ultrasound
The Jackson Facility is located at 27 S Cooks Bridge Road Suite 1-6 with hours on Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p. m., Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Wednesday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday are by appointment only by calling 888-271-9729 .
• 3-D Mammography
• ABVS (Automated Breast Volume Scan)
• Arthrogram
• Bilateral Breast MRI
• Breast Biopsy
• DEXA-Bone Density
• Diagnostic X-Ray
• Fluoroscopy
• Low Dose CT & CTA
• Low-Dose Lung Cancer Screening
• MRI & MRA
• MR Angiography
• MSK Ultrasound
• Thyroid FNA Biopsy
• Ultrasound
• Ultrasound Elastography
The Little Egg Harbor facility at 279 Mathistown Road offers ultrasound services by appointment, Monday through Friday. Call 888-271-9729 to schedule. Early detection saves lives. Schedule a screening by calling and you can also request a mammogram appointment by using the hotline announcement link at https://healthvillage imaging.com/mammogram -appointment-hotline. This link will make it easy to schedule your mammogram. Just complete a brief form and within about an hour during HVI’s regular business hours and you will receive a prompt response. Make sure to scan your scripts into your device, so you can easily upload them to the form.
Photos by Bob Vosseller/HVI
Health Village Imaging (HVI) at Wall Circle Park is closer to home is located at 1975 Wall Circle Park Building D on Route 34 South.
A Health Village Imaging vehicle is seen parked outside the HVI Wall Township Office.
FUN & GAMES SUDOKU
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
viser
28 The older of baseball’s two leagues: Abbr.
32 Possessive pronoun 33 Vamoose 35 Pub round
Architect Saarinen
Data unit
Horace’s “__ Poetica”
Freeway exits
Cream cheese, e.g.
Algonquian language
Rose and fell on the
May Alcott
whose main characters are hidden in the answers to the
of corny
with a
Change section on its website
24 Sink or swim 25 Mascara target 26 Hindu spiritual ad-
Over again
Get back
City near Syracuse
Leader with an .edu
Fabrication
Name of 13 popes
Masthead VIPs
“__ too shabby!”
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Enjoy being appreciated and trusted. Consider taking the initiative when it comes to love and express your true feelings to your loved ones. An unexpected encounter with someone new might bring surprising opportunities.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) : Body language can tell you more than a few words and a string of emojis. Those you can trust may look you straight in the eye. You might receive a warm hug just when you need it most from someone who has your best interest at heart.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You might make love more complicated than it needs to be. It may be time to stop playing games or expecting extravagant gestures. Allow yourself to enjoy the honest emotion without any hesitation. You know what you must do.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) : You can admire and take inspiration from your heroes without losing sight of necessary boundaries. Remember who you are and what you want to accomplish. Keep striving to show up in the world as your best self.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Someone you doubted could come through for you. Learn to appreciate someone’s talents and skillset without being jealous of their success. Your trust can become stronger if you receive proof of someone’s honesty and loyalty.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) : You might look forward to your work as the week begins, if it’s a labor of love. However, for today, consider letting your work run on autopilot and focus your energy on exploring romance, friendships, and relationships.
FOR THE WEEK OF NOV 2 - NOV 8
BY JERALDINE SAUNDERS
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An unexpected invitation could leave you feeling on top of the world. Think about ways you can return that feeling when you’re out in the world. Recognize how important other people are in your life and find ways to show appreciation.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Patience is crucial for true success. When you’re unsure of the next step, sometimes the best strategy is to wait for the next card to drop. While waiting, focus on social activities and spend time with people who brighten your spirits.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Being the center of affectionate attention feels great. Today, you radiate positive energy and might effortlessly step into a leadership role when needed. Think of ways to leverage your popularity to smooth out any rough edges.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Light up your life with positivity. If you have been waiting to make a passionate move or to make a life altering decision, there could be an opportunity to go for it. Your enthusiastic nature may soon prove to be useful.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Work may not feel totally like a chore in the week ahead, you might excel and feel well able to tackle tasks. Good fortune could spill over into your personal life, keeping your relationships thriving and in shape.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Consider organizing your resources so you can prepare to make important decisions. Start thinking about what you might need to have in place when the right opportunity arises to improve your income or long-term success.
LEFTOVER
HALLOWEEN CANDY MAKES A GREAT COATING FOR HOMEMADE CARAMEL APPLES
By America’s Test Kitchen
CANDY-COATED CARAMEL APPLES Makes 6 apples
2 cups crushed KitKat, Twix or Heath candy bars
6 small apples
1 (14-ounce) bag soft caramel candies
1/4 cup heavy cream
1. Prepare apples and candy bars: Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place crushed candy bars in a shallow bowl. Insert craft sticks into the stem end of each apple.
2. Melt caramels: Heat caramels and heavy cream in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.
3. Coat apples: Use the stick end to hold one apple over a pot of caramel, spoon sauce over the apple to coat, allowing excess to drip back into the pot. Roll apples in crushed candy, pressing to help candy adhere. Place apple, stick up, on parchment paper. Repeat with remaining apples and serve. (Apples can be refrigerated for several days; bring to room temperature before serving.)
See more online at www.americastestkitchen. com/TCA.) (c) 2024 AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN. DISTRIBUTED BY
Geraldine Oliverie, Mgr. Lic #3833 Michael Hennicke,
