TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 20 - No. 2
In This Week’s Edition
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Habitat For Humanity: Building Houses And More
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 9
Community News Pages 10-17
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 18
Inside The Law Page 21
Photo courtesy Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity built this home in Ocean County. By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - For many people in Ocean County, hopes of owning a safe and affordable home can seem out of reach. But thanks to the work of Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity, that dream can be a reality for some families in need. T he organ izat ion doesn’t just build houses; it builds a sense
of pride. They offer a path to home ownership through a unique program that combines affordable mortgages with sweat equity from the families themselves. This “hand up, not a handout” approach fosters a sense of dignity and personal investment in homes people can call their own. “We’re there to help those who want to help
themselves and do better for their families,” explai ne d K r ist i ne Novakowski, Executive Director. “So, the people we help partner with us and help with the project in some way.” For some, that translates into the labor of love involved in construction. Others may only be equipped to write letters expressing gratitude to donors.
Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity broke ground for its 23rd new home recently in Manitou Park, Berkeley Township. This will be the seventh affordable home built in Berkeley by the organization, with another scheduled in the same area. “Then, Mayor Carmen Amato (now Senator Amato) donated two parcels of land in Berkeley Township for our 23rd and 24th homes,” said Novakowski. “He also was instrumental in donating funds from Berkeley Township’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. We received $250,000 and $300,000 to help fund the building of the affordable homes.” The Affordable Housing Trust Fund is fueled by a surcharge on all developments in town; no tax dollars go into it. The homeowner selected for this particular (Habitat - See Page 4)
GOP Candidates Seek Council Spot
William R. Byrne
Kevin Geoghegan
By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – In the Ju ne 4 pr imar y election, the only con-
tested race in town is on the Republican side of the aisle. A primary election
VETERAN &
FIRST RESPONDER
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deter mines whose name will be on the ballot in November. Republicans choose their person and Democrats choose theirs. Toms River is split geographically into four wards, and each wa r d h a s o ne r e p r e s e n t a t ive o n t h e Tow n sh ip Cou nci l. T h is pr i ma r y election is just for the 2nd
ward, which includes much of the nor theastern section of the tow n , f rom G reenbr iar Woodlands to Green Island, and also some neighborhoods su r rou ndi ng Ocea n County College, Intermediate East and Silver Bay Elementary. The winner of this contest will only serve (GOP - See Page 5)
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Tentative Date Set For New VA Clinic Opening
Photo by Chris Lundy HVAC and other workers were on site during a recent visit to the Toms River VA Clinic. By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – After years of preparation for the new facility, the grand opening of the Veterans Administration clinic is July 16. A VA official told The Toms River Times that the date is tentative and subject to change. The building’s official address is 1051 Hooper Avenue, and there’s an entrance to the parking lot from that road. There’s another entrance on Caudina Av-
enue, which is the back road past two banks that leads to the Seacourt Pavilion. When groundbreaking ceremonies took place in 2022, the expectation was that it was going to open in spring of 2024. Currently, veterans travel to Brick’s James J. Howard Outpatient Clinic for their needs. They have complained that the facility is understaffed and that it (VA Clinic See Page 5)
Trial Reveals Victim’s Final Days, Father’s Actions By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS R I V ER The trial of Christopher Gregor, accused of endangering his son by abusing him on a treadmill and also charged with the boy’s murder, entered its second week with testimony recounting his fi nal hours.
Reg ist e red nu r se Lindsay Carnivale recounted how Gregor’s emotional detachment clashed with Corey’s deteriorating health. Corey’s mother, Breanna Micciolo, labeled a drug addict by Gregor, was kept away from the hospital at the father’s insistence. As Corey’s condition
rapidly worsened, it led to him seizing, his heart stopping, and his cessation of breathing. Medical professionals were able to revive him and attempted to evaluate his condition with a CT scan. He lost his pulse again, and second revival attempts (Trial - See Page 22)
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