TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 20 - No. 21
In This Week’s Edition
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
High School Pre-Nursing Program Expands To OCC
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 10-15
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 19
Classifieds Pages 25
Photo by Stephanie Faughnan OCVTS pre-nursing students check vital signs on patient mannequins set up in their new training classroom at OCC. By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - Dozens of young people in navy scrubs stood in the center of a simulated hospital ward, surrounded by lifesize patient mannequins neatly tucked into beds. This scene set the stage for the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the reloca-
tion of the Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS) pre-nursing program to Ocean County College (OCC). The ceremony was attended by state and county officials, as well as school administrators. Approximately 50 high school juniors and seniors enrolled in
Town To Close Homeless Encampment By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - A reliable source has revealed that efforts are underway to close the local encampment run by Reverend Steve Brigham of Destiny’s Bridge within a month and a half. The camp, which has been a last refuge for dozens of homeless individuals, is set to be dismantled as township officials scramble to relocate its residents. The clock is ticking as non-profits and local authorities rush to find them
temporary shelter, hoping to avoid an emergency situation. Meeting minutes from a September 17 phone conference between township officials and non-profits, including Toms River Business Administrator Jon Salonis and Assistant Township Attorney Peter Pascarella, confirm some of the details of the plan. “The state (DCA/OHP) spoke to the mayor’s office and some other people from the (Homeless - See Page 26)
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OCVTS’s pre-nursing curriculum will now take classes at OCC instead of a traditional high school setting. This relocation mirrors the Gr unin Performing Arts Academy, which has been based at the college since 2020. OCC President Pamela Monaco (Nursing - See Page 4)
September 28, 2024
JUDGE: RESIDENTS WON’T VOTE ON ANIMAL SHELTER By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – A judge said that he won’t make Toms River go through the work and expense of holding a vote on whether it should run its animal shelter. It went to the courts because a resident, Phil Brilliant, said that this was the only way to get relief. The majority on the Township Council approved an ordinance to shut down the shelter and lease the building to the county. A group of residents (including Brilliant) worked to get enough signatures to send the ordinance back to the council. The council had a certain amount of time to either repeal the ordinance or let the matter go to the voters in a special election. The first reading to repeal the ordinance happened within the statutory time, but not the second one. Regardless, Mayor Daniel Rodrick shut the shelter down administratively on June 7. The council majority later passed a resolution to create a shared services contract with the county. Brilliant took the township to court, and two hearings took place. At the end of the first, Judge Robert E. Brenner told the parties to meet and try to (Animal Shelter - See Page 5)
This Month In History: Referendums Of Years Past By J. Mark Mutter TOMS RIVER - In a prior column about citizen petitions in Toms River history, it was noted that our township’s very existence - as a political entity - was begun by everyday people petitioning their government. It was done over 250 years ago, when area farmers, fishermen, and ship builders requested that the colonial Assembly of the Province of New Jersey create a new
municipality. The request was approved and the “Town of Dover” was created. Almost two decades ago, we changed that town’s name - in a voter referendum. Today we know it as Toms River. That colonial-era petition was just the first of many in our local history. Here’s more on petition and voter referendum efforts in Toms River. (History - See Page 27)
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