The
SOUTHERN OCEAN Times Vol. 11 - No. 36
In This Week’s Edition
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Leap Year Triplets Celebrate 7 th Birthday At 28
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Community News Pages 8-15
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Photos by Stephanie Faughnan Sarah, Molly and Erica display tattoos they got at age 19 that connect them to their late older brother Evan. By Stephanie Faughnan LACEY – A set of triplets from Forked River recently celebrated a milestone birthday, their seventh. The only catch? They’re actually 28 years old. Sarah, Molly, and Erica Newman, born Febru-
Got Cool Antiques? “American Pickers” Return To NJ
By Alyssa Riccardi NEW JERSEY – Do you have any remarkable relics or valuable antiques? Well, the “American Pickers” want to see your collections.
The popular documentary series American Pickers will be making its way back to New Jersey this April, filming episodes for their upcoming season. The History Chan-
nel hit show follows skilled “pickers” as they explore the fascinating world of antique “picking” and hunt through people’s interesting items to
(Antiques - See Page 6)
ary 29, 1996, proudly belong to an exclusive club known as “leaplings.” Their actual birthdate has only appeared on the calendar in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 – and now in 2024. That’s not to say that the three identical young (Birthday - See Page 4)
March 9, 2024
Nuke Plant Fined For Budget Issue
By Stephanie Faughnan LACEY – A routine safety inspection at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station has resulted in claims that Holtec Decommissioning International (HDI) misused funds intended for cleaning up the site. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has fi ned HDI for spending approximately $62,000 from the decommissioning trust fund on community outreach activities unrelated to the plant’s safe shutdown. “We’re citing this as a violation, in part, to require the company to provide a corrective action plan that will be placed on the docket,” wrote Neil Sheehan, NRC Public Affairs Officer. “We are doing that due to complexity of the actions needed to correct the issue, which in turn will require a comprehensive review
by multiple parts of the NRC. This will include reviewing the decision-making process used by HDI (Holtec Decommissioning International) to make the expenditures.” T he quest ionable spending cited by the NRC included a celebration day for Lacey Township, donations to a local food bank, and various community upgrades. While these gest u res may seem positive on the surface, the funds used came from the decommissioning trust fund (DTF). This fund is meant to pay for activities directly related to the safe dismantling of the power plant and reducing radiation levels, not community events. Federal regulations defi ne decommissioning as the process of safely removing a facility or site from service and reducing residual (Plant - See Page 6)
Who Picks Your Politicians?
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER – Voters choose who they want to lead them, but how did the politicians even get on the ballot to begin with? That starts with the leaders of the two main parties. Ocean County’s political landscape will undoubtedly undergo significant shifts as a result of the recent GOP county convention. With Democrats proving to be negligible competition, particularly in county-level races, the Republican elite’s choice of candidates has some wondering if a select group of people
actually pick the winners even before voters go to the polls. George Gilmore’s comeback as the head of the Ocean County Republican Organization despite his conviction – and later pardon – for tax evasion reveals his stature as a powerful kingmaker in local politics. Notably, Gilmore is responsible for handpicking members of the screening committee, who interview and endorse candidates. Then, at the convention, the rest of the Republicans choose who is awarded (Politicians - See Page 5)
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