The HOWELL Times
Vol. 22 - No. 10
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Playhouse Hosts A “New Beginning” Districts Vote To Raise School Taxes
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 8-10
Photos courtesy of Dani Wittman (Above) A shot from “Table for Three,” the show’s fifth act. (Left) Michael Galligan and Karen Bowden in costume for “A Blast from the Past,” which is act six.
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 15
Inside The Law Page 17
Classifieds Page 18
August 10, 2024
By Liz Ciocher HOWELL – One of Howell Township’s oldest organizations, The Grange Playhouse, is opening up this weekend after nearly facing the final curtain. The Playhouse is a performing arts theater off Route 9 with some of the oldest and antique archi-
tecture, originally serving as a school house in the early 1900s. The theater generally has three to four shows a year, including an annual series of One Act Plays, which started this year on August 2, with shows on August 3, 4 and 11. For the past three years, each one-act series has been given a theme. This year’s theme is “A New Beginning.” “The Grange during Covid almost didn’t make it. A lot of people left, the building was falling apart, (Playhouse - See Page 5)
Is 25 Years In Jail Enough For Death Of A Child? By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – As Christopher Gregor was sentenced to 25 years for endangerment and aggravated manslaughter in the death of his son, people following the case were upset that he didn’t get the maximum. The video of Gregor putting his son, Corey Micciolo, 6, on a treadmill and speeding it up so
the boy fell off multiple times – and then biting the boy’s head - has become infamous and leant weight to the sentencing, the judge said. However, the charge of endangering only received a sentence of 5 years out of a maximum of 10. The treadmill incident, which took place on March 20, 2021, did not contribute to the death (25 Years - See Page 4)
Photo courtesy Asbury Park Press Christopher Gregor was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
By Alyssa Riccardi HOWELL – Property taxes are going up in Howell Township after both Howell K-8 School District and Freehold Regional School District approved a tax levy increase. The increases come as a result of the long-term effects the S-2 funding formula has had on both districts, losing millions of state aid funding. At a recent Howell Board of Education meeting, the district presented its amended, final budget. Before the presentation, Superintendent Jospeh Isola asked the board to approve the 9.9% tax levy increase, which is normally a 2% cap. The state changed it this year to allow districts who lost funding to make up at least some of the difference. “I’ve said very clearly in no uncertain terms that it is my recommendation that the board move forward with the decision to adopt the full amount available. I have been very clear about how serious of a statement I recognize that is,” Isola said. “However, I do think to protect our students’ future and to make sure we’re able to provide programs and staffing, it is critically important that we prepare ourselves for the future.” Isola continued, stating how in the past they have not taxed the full amount. “Should we take this taxing authority, and next year the budget formula is favorable to us, that will provide an opportunity to exercise restraint and we’ve done in the past and demonstrate that to our community by not taking the 2% eligible plus waivers that a typical year would provide,” Isola said. Business Administrator Ronald Sanasac presented the revised budget to the board and public with the possible 9.9% increase. He explained how Howell Schools is a victim of S-2 funding cuts. “We’ve lost half of our state aid funding. It’s not something we get control of. It affects us and our only other option is for local taxation,” Sanasac said. Sanasac further detailed how in the past years, they could have gone well above 2% or at least 2%, but did not. He also explained how although the future funding formula is unknown, they are preparing for the worst (Districts - See Page 5)
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