TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 18 - No. 50
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Young Sleuths Train School Wants Town To Solve Murders At CSI Camp To Buy Land
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Government Page 7
Community News Pages 9-12
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 19
April 22, 2023
─Photo by Stephanie Faughnan Sean Clancy of the National CSI camp instructs students on how to process crime scenes By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - A group of 17 students from Ocean County
recently found themselves in the midst of a mysterious crime scene at Cattus Island County Park.
As they stumbled upon two lifeless “bodies.” The budding sleuths, ranging from grades 6 to 12, put their detec-
tive skills to the test. Notably, the corpses were act ually dummies, set up as part of a (CSI - See Page 4)
By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER - Superintendent Michael Citta asked the Township Council to buy land owned by the district next to Silver Bay Elementary School for open space. Officials said during a Township Council meeting there could be 49 homes built on that property if it went to a public sale. Selling it to the town would be a way to bridge a gaping hole the district’s budget b r ou g ht on by t he state’s new funding formula. The S-2 funding formula came into effect in 2018 and every year has cut more and more money. For the 20232024 school year, they had been anticipating a loss of aid in the amount of $2,688,937. Instead, they received a surprise cut of $14,421,851. A bill signed recently by the governor would
reinstate 66% of this, which would be about $9.5 million. The district has to apply for this Supplemental Stabilization Aid. It’s a one-time award. Selling the land is also a one-time award but that is what a lot of districts are looking to do. Even with getting 66% back, the district is still looking at a cut of $5 million. “Before we have to liquidate our assets through public sale,” he came to the township to sell the land, Citta said. “There have been 304 cuts to staff,” Citta explained. There’s little left to cut. The generation coming up is supposed to have more opportunities than the last, he said. “When we start cutting opportunities, we can’t any longer provide a thorough and efficient education.” “It’s not to say that (School - See Page 14)
SHORE SPORTS NOTEBOOK: TRE Little League, Hawk Basketball Grads Draw Crowds
By Chris Christopher OCEAN COUNTY Their names will never be forgotten. Todd Frazier. Scott Fisher. Chris Crawford. Brad Fra n k. Casey Gaynor. Eric Campesi. Gabe Gardner. Tom Gannon. R.J. Johansen. Joe Franceschini. Mike Belostock. Chris Cardone. Manager Mike
Gay nor. Coach Joe Franceschini. Coach Ken Kondek. And why not? All the aforementioned did as members of the Toms River East American Little League team, an all-star club, was captivate our nation, winning the 1998 Little League World Series at the Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Wil-
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liamsport, Pa. Fittingly, the team will be honored 25 years after its run Saturday, April 22. A parade will step off at 9 a.m. What promises to be an event as colorful as East’s pulsating march to the championship will conclude at the field on Windsor Avenue, the site of a 10 a.m. ceremony.
“It will be a huge parade,” said Tom my Noone, president of the Toms River East Little League. “We will march from the Toms River First Aid Squad building to the field.” Teams from the Far East, specifically Japan and Taiwan, often dominated the LLWS. East put an end to that, dow n i ng K a sh i m a ,
Zbaraki, Japan, in the World Championship Game, setting off a decibel-shattering roar among its fans in front of an ABC national television audience and becoming the first American team to capture the crown since 1993. “I always told folks, ‘Enjoy yourselves. It’s
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─ Photo courtesy Little League Baseball and Softball The 1998 Little League World Series winners from Toms River celebrate.
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