The MANCHESTER Times Vol. 28 - No. 38
In This Week’s Edition
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Manchester Sees Changes And Challenges In 2022
Manchester Menorah Lighting Brightens Season
BREAKING NEWS @
–Photo by Bob Vosseller (Above) Rabbi Moshe Gourarie, of the Chabad of the Jewish Center of Toms River lights the fifth light of the Menorah during this year’s Menorah Lighting ceremony in front of Town Hall. (Left)Yehuda Fryer, left, who serves as a community liaison for the Orthodox Jewish community in Manchester Township, joins Rabbi Avi Schnall, Council President Joan Brush and Business Administrator Brandon Umba in front of the Menorah following the lighting ceremony on the fifth day of Hanukkah.
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Community News Pages 9-12
Dr. Izzy Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 19
Classifieds Page 22
By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – It was a bit misty and overcast on the fifth night of Hanukkah but the rain stopped just before the township’s annual Menorah Lighting started - and the sky
was a lot less gray after the Menorah was lit. Rabbi Moshe Gourarie, of the Chabad of the Jewish Center of Toms River joined Manchester Council President Joan Brush, Business Administrator Bran-
don Umba, Recreation Department Director Tracey Lynch, Township Clerk Sabina Martin and General Foreman for Buildings and Grounds Don Thomas on the grounds of the Town Hall before the
crowd began to form for the outside and later inside event. A nice-sized crowd came out from all areas of Manchester for the ceremony which included speeches of (Season - See Page 4)
Officials Say Farewell
By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – The Township Council’s last meeting of the year proved a farewell for several officials. The December 19 meeting was the last for Mayor Robert Hudak, who narrowly lost the December 16 special runoff election with a difference of 362 votes against challenger Robert Arace. This marked their third election in two years and concluded with unofficial results having Arace with 5,205 votes
to Hudak’s 4,843. Hudak served as mayor since August 2021, when he was appointed to replace Ken Palmer, who resigned to become a Superior Court judge. In November, Hudak defeated Arace for the right to finish the last year of Palmer’s term. Hudak did not issue a public statement after the run-off election. Arace told The Manchester Times after the results were in in that he was “humbled and overwhelmed by the
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support we received and now the work truly begins.” He noted that it was a challenging campaign “but worth the fight.” He had the support of the Manchester Republicans and Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore. “We are so overwhelmed and humbled to earn your support and can’t wait to get to work for you,” Arace stated on his social media campaign page. This also marked the last meeting (Officials - See Page 8)
December 31, 2022
By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – The year 2022 will be marked for its changes and challenges that took place throughout the community. The challenges started early, with a slight delay of the Township Council’s first meeting of the year due to a serious crash that blocked Route 37 and caused a few detours. “The state of our Township is strong, and the future is bright,” Mayor Robert Hudak said. He was swor n into office at that meeting to finish up the end of the term of the previous mayor, who left to become a judge. His oath of office and that of Councilwoman
Michele Zolezi were administered by Manchester Township Judge Daniel F. Sahin, in front of fa m i ly, f r ie nd s, township employees, and dignitaries from the county and state. Councilwoman Joan Brush who served as vice council president last year took the gavel as council president while Zolezi was chosen to serve as council vice president. While Hudak won his first political battle against challenger Robert Arace in 2021 he would face him twice more during 2022. First, they went head to head in the November election. It was a crowded ballot with (Changes - See Page 5)
Wreaths Placed To Remember Veterans This Holiday Season
By Alyssa Riccardi and Chris Lundy JERSEY SHORE – Several organizations throughout Ocean and Monmouth Counties came out to lay wreaths on graves of those who might have been forgotten during the holiday season. Wreaths Across America’s mission is to “Remember, Honor and Teach.” Throughout the year, the organization works in multiple ways to show veterans and their families that the community will “never forget.” This year, more than 35,000 locations across (Wreaths - See Page 14)
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