Hurricane Sandy

Brick Barrier Island Residents May Gain More Access Soon

Mayor says he's just waiting for state approval

Brick hopes to allow its barrier island residents and property owners to be able to drive to their properties in their own vehicles "soon," but the township needs state approval first. "We hope it will be soon, we hope it's within days," said Mayor Stephen Acropolis, on a bus tour Thursday of many of the township's Sandy-ravaged waterfront and low-lying sections. "We're just waiting for some construction work to be cleared, for Route 35 to be opened and for approval from the state Department of Transportation." On Thursday morning, Acropolis, Police Chief Nils Bergquist, other police officers and the National Guard traveled by police-escorted bus with a limited number of media to tour the township's barrier island and other damaged areas …

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Police Searching for Burglary Suspect

Public's help requested in identifying suspect

Brick police are asking the public’s help in identifying the suspect of a day time burglary that occurred last week. The suspect, a young man whose sketch is attached to this article, is suspected of burglarizing a Roosevelt Drive resident's home. When a resident of the street came home at about 12:25 p.m. July 13, she noticed the man emerging from her backyard. At the time, the man said he was delivering a package as the resident noticed her rear door open and no package on the ground, according to Capt. John Rein. At that point, Rein said, the suspect jumped a fence and ran down Roosevelt Drive toward Route 70, where he was observed entering a beige colored mid-sized vehicle with a dark vinyl or cloth top. A check of the house revealed …

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Two Nobility Crests: One Approved in Brick, One Approved in Toms River

Both projects plan for townhouses, rental units and commercial space along busy roads

Toms River and Brick townships will have something in common: each town approved a development called Nobility Crest this year, with each project creating controversy. Nobility Crest LLC is overseeing both projects. Brick's was approved by its planning board this week, while the proposal for Toms River was approved back in March. The two sites are about six miles apart when traveling Route 70. The Toms River site is just north of Cox Cro Road, along Route 9. It includes the construction of a 53,000-square-foot shopping center, two 25-unit apartment buildings and 200 townhouse units. The Toms River project brought out residents' concerns of child/pedestrian safety and traffic. The development could create pedestrian traffic on Route 9, as …

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Mattie

9:15 am on Sunday, November 20, 2011

Why was my other comment deleted?? There was no reason to remove it.....   more ›

Denny's Restaurant Closing on Brick Boulevard

Corporate officials confirm "America's diner" will close at 25 Brick Blvd. location

Denny's Restaurant, known for its 'America's diner is always open' slogan, will no longer be open in Ocean County. The family-style chain restaurant will be closing its doors at 25 Brick Blvd. near Hooper Avenue on the Toms River-Brick border in the Silverton section. Corporate officials declined to specify when the final days of the Brick location would be. Denny's Restaurant issued the following official statement:  “We have chosen not to renew our lease for our Brick, N.J. restaurant. We regularly evaluate each of our restaurants to ensure it is operating up to brand standards and in this case determined we are better off focusing our efforts on our other nearby locations. Guests can still enjoy their favorite Denny’s meal at our other …

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Sunday Morning Parkway Accident Fatal to Lacey Woman

State Police confirm the crash near mile-marker 89.2 southbound.

A 39-year-old Lacey Township woman was killed early Sunday morning in a one-car accident on the Garden State Parkway, according to State Police spokesman Sgt. Julian Castellanos. Penelope Jones-Scarpa,  of the Forked River section  of Lacey Township,  was pronounced dead at 3:25 a.m., according to police sources.  She was the single mother of two who was on her way home from work. The Toms River Police Department also responded to the accident, where police found the women's car off the highway, where it apparenetly struck a  line of trees. First arriving State Police officers first reported three victims of the accident as DOA (dead on arrival) at mile-marker 89.2 in the southbound lanes of the Parkway. But police later said there was one…

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Video: Chris Matlosz, and Goodbye

Bagpipes, a riderless horse and tears for the slain Lakewood officer

Many echoed the phrase "remember him" Friday as Lakewood Police Officer Chris Matlosz was laid to rest. In that spirit, Patch.com has put together a slideshow of images to capture a day of pageantry and sadness for the slain 27-year-old, who was a Manchester resident and Howell High School graduate. Click on the video icon to view the slideshow.

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Suspect Caught; $5M Bail Set in Lakewood Cop Killing; Funeral Arrangements Made

Crockam apprehended in Camden by state and federal 'high risk entry' teams, taken to Ocean County Jail in Toms River

The suspect in the murder of a Lakewood police officer was captured Sunday during an early morning “high-risk entry” in a Camden apartment, ending a two-day manhunt for the killer, authorities said. The suspect, Jahmell Crockam, 19, is accused of killing Chris Matlosz, a 27-year-old Lakewood police officer from Manchester who was a Howell High School alumnus, authorities said. A viewing will be held Wednesday from 4 to  9 p.m. at the Lakewood Funeral Home in Howell. A funeral Mass will be held at 12 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary of the Lake Church on Route 9 in Lakewood. A candlelight vigil for Matlosz will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday in front of the Lakewood Police Headquarters at 231 Third Street. Police arrested Crockam at 6:30 a.m. Sunday …

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What gets delivered in a blizzard? Mail no, pizzas yes

Deliveries were a mixed bag as snow hampers drivers.

Toms River residents anxious for Christmas credit card bills to start arriving in their mailboxes today, or hoping to return a wrong-size, wrong-color or wrong-preference gift via FedEx, can blame 27 inches of fluffy white stuff for putting the kabosh on their plans. Some couldn't even raise a live body on the phone at Toms River branch of the U.S. Post Office, or at Silverton Pharmacy, a USPS vendor. "A lot of deliveries were suspended in those areas today," said Ray Daiutolo Sr., USPS spokesman for the region that includes Toms River. "Employees had a hard time getting to work and getting mail to the post offices there. There may have been some deliveries made, but not much." Want to get mail on Tuesday? Make sure access to your curbside…

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Ocean County Judge Halts Prayer in Point Beach

ACLU Says Order Shows Government Cannot Show Religious Preference

An Ocean County judge ordered Point Pleasant Beach officials on Friday to stop holding prayer at municipal council meetings, according to an ACLU press release. The American Civil Liberties Union's New Jersey chapter said the judge's order "clearly violated the New Jersey constitution, which obligates the government to not show a preference for one religion over another." "We support the right of government officials to pray on their own time, but when they act as the voice of government, they cannot promote their own religious beliefs," said Jeanne LoCicero, ACLU-NJ Deputy Legal Director, who argued the motion. The policy allowed its municipal council members to lead meetings with prayers that reflect their personal religious beliefs, …

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Parkway Interchange 83 Slated for Changes

Officials to take public comment on plans in session Tuesday.

The Garden State Parkway near interchange 83 could change to include new shoulder and travel lane configurations, and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is holding a public comment session Tuesday to find out what drivers think. The turnpike authority will hold a Public Information Center on Dec. 14 in Brick to take comments and answer questions about its plan to restore and improve the shoulders on the Garden State Parkway between mileposts 83 and 100.  The project is currently in final design with construction expected to begin in 2012. The event, which is open to the public, will run from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the Brick Township Municipal Building, 401 Chambers Bridge Rd. The project team will be on hand to answer …

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