TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 20 - No. 23
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
County Geeks Out At FanNation
October 12, 2024
Halloween Parade Creeping Back To Town
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 10-15
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 18
Inside The Law Page 23
Classifieds Pages 25
Photos by Bob Vosseller Ocean County Library staff who coordinated this year’s FanNation event join several cosplayers in the lobby of the Toms River Library for a big “Geekstravaganza.” By Bob Vosseller TOMS RIVER – For nearly a decade, FanNation has been bringing a “Geekstravaganza” to the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library. The free event provides a multi-media convention for fans of science fiction, comic books, fantasy, horror, anime and much more and this year was no exception. Families could be seen making a nautical themed I spy bottle. In the Discovery Room you could also enjoy a Tinker Fairy storytime that featured stories, games and a meet and greet with a Tinker Fairy. FanNation also featured the return of some old favorites such as the crimson haired mermaid who also provided some stories, games
Rosemarie McCroy, 12, poses at the Toms River Library during FanNation portraying the character Millie from the Helluva Boss show. and greeted young people with tales and her tail. A popular annual feature is the scavenger hunt. This year, eagle-eyed attendees scoured the book shelves for dragon eggs that could net you a treasure from a prize box in the front lobby. Mancini Hall was the place to be for Star Wars fans. The Star Wars Costuming club Saber Guild Corellia presented a children’s (FanNation - See Page 4)
Hospital Celebrates 4 Decades By Stephanie Faughnan BRICK - Forty years ago, Brick Hospital opened its doors as a small 120-bed community medical center. Today, Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center (OUMC) has grown into a 357-bed facility and is part of a network recognized for excellence by U.S. News & World Report. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, OUMC hosted a large community event, transforming its grounds into a lively gathering for residents, hospital staff, and families. The celebration featured a wide range of activi-
ties, with something for everyone to enjoy. It also allowed the medical center to showcase its advances in medical technology and care. The event included interactive exhibits with demonstrations of the hospital’s robotic-assisted surgery technology. OUMC has two da Vinci robots for minimally invasive surgery and a separate robot used for knee replacement. They are in the process of purchasing another robot designed to assist in spinal surgeries. Guests had the chance to observe how the (Hospital - See Page 5)
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Photo by Chris Lundy Bob Onofrietti showed off his 1941 Ford in last year’s parade. By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – Is that Michael Myers peaking around the corner? No, it’s just the Halloween parade. The Toms River Fire Company No. 1 is again bringing this beloved tradition to the downtown area for the 85th time. “We invite everyone to join us for an evening of festive floats, creative costumes, and family-friendly enter-
tainment. Whether you’re participating in the parade or cheering from the sidelines, this event is sure to be a highlight of the season,” fire officials said. On October 31 – which is a Thursday this year – the parade will start promptly at 7 p.m. at its normal kick-off location: the corner of Main Street and Highland Parkway. The parade will travel (Parade - See Page 4)
This Month In History: 3rd Party Candidates By J. Mark Mutter There’s another presidential election right around the corner, and once again it’s a contest between the two major party contenders along with spirited third party candidates. In our recent history, we’ve had several hotly contested three-way races, and here’s how Ocean County voted. 1968 And George C. Wallace In 1968, Democratic candidate Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey was running to
succeed President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Republicans were running former Vice President Richard M. Nixon. Running as a third party candidate under the banner “American Independent” was Alabama Governor George C. Wallace. In Ocean County, Nixon received 41,995 votes, or 54 percent. Humphrey got 26,909 votes, 35 percent. Wallace had 8,520 votes, 11 percent. Nixon carried New Jersey and (History - See Page 6)
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