Monday, August 17, 2009

Toms River Council Meetings Will Soon Be Available On Its Website

By: Rosetta Key

Toms River Township officials are moving fast and furious into the future by soon providing audio and video downloads of its council meetings from the township website.

Mayor Thomas Keleher says presently, they're in negotiations with its cable company Comcast and they're hoping to obtain a technology grant to purchase all the video equipment they need.

Keleher says by offering downloads from its web page, most everyone will be able to access the meetings from anywhere in the world. He says, "We became aware of the fact that not everyone in town has Comcast. Part of the municipality is serviced by Cablevision. Other people have satellite dishes and there are a lot of people who just don't have cable of any type and just rely on general broadcast channels."

In the meantime, plans to allow audio downloads of its council meetings should be available by the end of next week, August 25th, according to a Township press release.

Keleher says he's particularly pleased because of the opportunity it gives to those with special needs. "You know our 'Americans with Disabilities Act Committee' has been asking for this for a while because they particularly are aware of handicapped folks who can not get out and this way they can participate from home."

Keleher says when every thing's up and running, the meetings will be available the day after the meeting.

You can log onto the township website at www.tomsrivertownship.com

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Ocean County Law Enforcement Officials Investigate a Murder Suicide






By: Rosetta Key

Toms River Police and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office say the death of a towship woman appears to be a murder-suicide.

The body of 30-year-old Letizia Zindell was discovered around 3:15 this afternoon inside her car on King George Lane at the Penny lane Condominium Complex. Then around 4 p.m. Police Chief Mike Mastronardy says the body of Zindell's ex-fiance, 36-year-old Frank Frisco was found hanging in a loft in a detached garage.

Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford says "It looks like an example of domestic abuse spiraling out of control."

Zindell had a restraining order against Frisco. Ford says Zindell had called off her wedding to Frisco two months ago.

The couple had no children together. Frisco however, was the father of three children from a previous marraige.

Five Monmouth County Towns Are Studying Whether Or Not It Would Be Cost-Effective To Share Some Police Services


Belmar, Bradley Beach, Neptune, Neptune City and Lake Como are getting $75,684 from the state to do a shared services study.

The towns are each paying $2,800 in addition to the state grant.

“We are hoping to find ways of optimizing services, avoiding any duplications of effort, and thereby reducing costs to the taxpayer,” says Bradley Beach Mayor Julie Schreck.

The study will look at possibly sharing a dispatch center, a detective bureau and police duties such as management and patrol as well as fleet maintenance and purchasing.

“We have a chance to look at where it makes sense to share or practices that we might adopt and services that we don’t share, which could also end up saving money for our taxpayers, says Neptune Committeeman Randy Bishop.

Intertech Associates in Freehold and Jersey Professional Management in Cranford are conducting the study.

The results are expected in six to nine months.


By: Janet Fried

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Two Lawmakers Are Pushing For Passage Of Legislation They Say Would Protect The Health Of Beachgoers


Us Senator Frank Lautenberg and Congressman Frank Pallone are sponsoring legislation that would require rapid water quality tests and result in more grant money so states can study where the pollution is coming from.

“This measure will provide funding to further protect our shores from pollution and improve beach water monitoring,” says Senator Frank Lautenberg.

“The Jersey Shore is an invaluable treasure and we need to keep it that way,” says Congressman Frank Pallone.

The legislation was passed by the US House of Representatives in July and passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in June.

By: Janet Fried

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Many Monmouth And Ocean County Residents Don’t Have Access To Preventative Healthcare. A Free Event In Long Branch Today Hopes To Change That


The health fair at the Monmouth Family Health Center on Broadway Avenue in Long Branch from 2pm until 5pm will be an opportunity for people without health insurance to find out about the services that are available to them says center Spokeswoman Beatriz Oesterheld.

“We sign up the children whose families don’t have insurance for New Jersey Kids Care,” says Oesterheld.

She says the fair will also include dental, vision and skin cancer screenings as well as HIV testing.

Oesterheld says about 300 people attended the event last year.

The health fair is in celebration of National Health Center Week that runs through august 15th.

By: Janet Fried

Middletown Has Come Up With A Plan To Help Some Of Its Residents Who Are Plagued With Severe Flooding When It Rains


Middletown Engineer Ted Maloney says if there 's a high tide and rain the streets in the Port Monmouth part of town become a river.

“It prevents the residents from getting through their streets and it prevents a few residents near the low lying parts of the street from getting out of their driveways,” says Maloney.

He says his plan, which is in the design phase, includes building a berm, repairing pipes, installing a slide gate, a pumping station, drainage pipe and a generator.

Maloney says the project would be done in three phases and cost about $1Million.

He says the next step is to see if the town can get funding from The Army Corps of Engineers.

By: Janet Fried

Thursday, August 6, 2009

An Expert Offers Advice On How To Prepare And Motivate Your Kids For The Start Of The New School Year


Willa Spicer, Deputy Commissioner of the State Department of Education, says studies have shown that children who do not work on the skills they learned during the previous school year over the summer are more likely to loose them in the fall.

“Anything that you can do that helps children to use the skills, not to learn new ones, not to drill and practice, to use them, will be of great help to them as they get older,” says Spicer.

She suggests making your child sit for 10 minutes a day and read a book. She says after a while they will get so into it that it won’t seem like a chore and they’ll finish it.
Also, Spicer suggests you find the math around you and ask your child to help with it.

Spicer says its okay to use rewards and punishment but you have to set it up in advance and be consistent.


By: Janet Fried

Major Drug Seizure In Asbury Park


by Tom Mongelli

Asbury Park and Monmouth County investigators seek your help in an ongoing drug probe that resulted in the seizure of nearly 20 pounds of heroin, cocaine and marijuana Monday in the city.
Thirty-eight-year-old Damien Schenck is being held on almost $1.3 million bail in the Monmouth Correctional Institution.
Investigators say they found Schenck holding about five ounces of cocaine in his SUV during a Monday traffic stop. A search of two Asbury apartments, police say, yielded a massive stash of cocaine and heroin with a street value of over a million dollars. Authorities say they also found two handguns, an AR-15 assault rifle, and ammunition including hollow-point bullets. They seized four fur coats and three cars as well.
Schenck faces multiple first- and third-degree drug charges and second-degree weapons counts. The most severe penalties could place Schenck in a state prison for up to 20 years if he's convicted.

Investigators continue to probe Schenck's suspected connections to drug distribution in Monmouth County. He owns an operates a music shop, the 1500 Store, on Bangs Avenue.

Anyone with information that can help the investigation should call Detective Scott Samis at the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Reach him at 732-751-2200.

An Expert Believes The Bomb Threats At Three Synagogues In Monmouth County This Week Are Connected To The Arrests Of Two Deal Rabbis Last Month

Etzion Neuer with the New Jersey Office of the Anti-Defamation League says he hopes the bomb threats at two Long Branch synagogues and one in Deal Tuesday are an isolated incident but local synagogues have been encouraged already to review their security procedures.

The Synagogue of Deal received a bomb threat. One of its rabbis is the father of Solomon Dwek, who was allegedly the cooperating witness in the corruption and money laundering investigation that resulted in 44 arrests last month including three mayors, two state lawmakers and five rabbis. A second rabbi at the temple is Rabbi Edmond Nahum who was arrested last month.

Neuer says he has not seen an overall spike in anti-Semitic incidents because of the recent arrests.

By: Janet Fried

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

A National Talent Search Takes Place at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson This Weekend

By: Rosetta Key

The re-invention of the Oscar-winning movie FAME could unlock the doors of opportunity for another talented handful across the country.

That's the hope when Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, N.J. host one of the FAME National Talent Search Multi-city Tours this weekend. Six Flags spokeswoman Angel Aristone says they're teaming up with MGM Studios in conjunction with the release of the movie to give performers a chance at their big break. She says they're accepting 400 qualifying registrants when sign ups start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

"On August 8th we're having the big audition in the park and we're picking the top ten best from that audition and they will move on to the semi-finals on August 9th. And then the top pick on that day is going to be headed to L.A. for the final contest."

Aristone says similar competitions are taking place at six of their theme parks throughout the country where seven finalist will be selected.

The Grand Prize includes a five-day trip to Hollywood for an exclusive meeting with a top talent agent and studio executive, a photo spread in OK! Magazine, $5,000 dollars and inclusion of their winning live performance in the FAME DVD.

Aristone encourages anyone who can sing, dance or play an instrument to audition. She says, "Sunday's semi-finals also includes a special performance by V-Factory featuring FAME'S Asher Book who plays "Marco," a charismatic singer pursuing his dream."

Those who can not attend can submit a video to myspace.com/fame. You can get more details at www.generationfame.com or log onto www.sixflags.com.

Help Needy Animals by Bargain Shopping



By Sarah Zucco

Looking for bargains in Toms River? Shop at the Shore Animal Volunteer Enterprise's Thrift Shop and Adoption Center on Fischer Boulevard. Clothing, home accessories, books, DVDs, and much more can be found at inexpensive prices. S.A.V.E also greatly welcomes donations of good, clean, sellable items. Generated revenue from the thrift shop helps S.A.V.E. provide medical services and other necessary care to unwanted and rescued local critters. This independent non profit organization relies heavily on monetary and gift donations to continue its operations during these hard economic times, when more animals are becoming displaced and in need of urgent help. S.A.V.E also fully supports its foster homes for animals.



Anyone looking for a new pet is encouraged to visit S.A.V.E.'s adoption center behind the thrift shop, which contains numerous kittens and other animals ready to find a permanent home. S.A.V.E welcomes volunteers, who can spend time working in the shop or with the adorable animals in the adoption center. Donations of products from S.A.V.E's "Wish List" are greatly appreciated for use in the center and animal foster homes.

The Thrift Shop and Adoption Center are open Tuesday through Saturday.

Send questions/comments to wobmnews@wobm.com.

9Th District Republicans Soon to Select Van Pelt's Replacement

Rosetta Key

Republican leaders in the 9th legislative district that covers Ocean, Burlington and Atlantic counties are waiting for a letter from the Secretary of State announcing the vacancy of an Assembly seat following Dan Van Pelt's resignation last week.

Ocean County G-O-P Chairman George Gilmore says they'll have seven days following the receipt of that letter to send notice to County Committee members in the district to attend a convention. Gilmore says during the convention, "We'll adopt procedures for a nominating process and then a vote. Historically ... we've always required that any successful candidate receive 50 percent plus one vote."

He adds, "how he would intend the process to work is that we vote first to fill the vacancy on the ballot. Once that person is selected, I am going to make the assumption that the county committee members will vote to put the same person in that legislative seat for the balance of the term. "

So far, Gilmore says ten individuals have submitted their names for consideration and he anticipates that he'll receive several more of the next couple of days.

When asked if he believes the scandal and resignation will hurt the Republican Party in November elections? He says no. "lets face it, corruption in New Jersey has been a problem for a long time and it doesn't know any party boundaries. You've had Republicans and Democrats indicted. I think that's a failure of the individual and not the party."

Monday, August 3, 2009

A Bill Working Its Way Through Washington Would Make Sure Beachgoers Know About Closings As Soon As Possible


Congressman Frank Pallone is sponsoring legislation that would require water quality tests that could be completed in a few hours instead of days. The measure would also provide more money to track the sources of pollution and try and prevent them.

“If the water is polluted people could be swimming in it for a day or two before its actually closed or the water could be clean and it would be a day or two before the beach could reopen,” said Congressman Pallone.

“It’s important to provide the public with timely information on whether the beach is clean or dirty,” said Cindy Zipf, Clean Ocean Action Executive Director.

Congressman Pallone's legislation passed the House last week but Senator Frank Lautenberg's version of the bill is moving more slowly through the Senate.

A report out last week by The Natural Resources Defense Council found that in 2008 there were 208 days of beach closures or advisories in New Jersey as compared to 142 in 2007.

By: Janet Fried






A New Program At Asbury Park High School Aims To Help Students Who May Not Have Positive Role Models In Their Lives

Asbury Park High School has struggled for years with low standardized test scores and high dropout rates. But a new mentoring program is trying to make sure the students have positive role models to help lead them down the right path.

30 students were paired with mentors from the community this past school year. The students were mostly freshmen and they had to get parental permission.

The mentors were community members who were as young as 25 and as old as 81. They had to undergo background checks, meet with school officials and agree to mentor a child for at least a year, but hopefully until they graduated.

There are different levels of mentoring. Some mentors met with their student during the school day on the school grounds, while others met with their student after school in the community. The program also tries to match students up with mentors who have jobs that the teens are considering pursuing in the future.

"The goal is basically to just give our students an additional caring adult who can kind of be an advocate, a cheerleader, a guide, just a friend basically, said Sheldon Sanders, the health and Social Services Coordinator at Asbury Park High School.

Sanders says the adults also benefit from the mentor program because they feel good about giving back to their community.


By: Janet Fried