The MANCHESTER Times Vol. 30 - No. 35
In This Week’s Edition
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Hawks Enjoy Championship Season
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 10-15
Dr. Izzy Sound News Page 18
Classifieds Page 25
Inside The Law Page 27
Photo courtesy Manchester Football Coach Tommy Farrell and the Hawks celebrate their Battle at the Beach win over West Deptford earlier in the season. By Chris Christopher MANCHESTER – It was a memorable season for the Manchester Township High School football team. There were fourth-quarter comebacks in conquests of West Deptford (26-21 in the Battle at the Beach in the regular-season opener for both teams at Ocean City in August), Pinelands Regional (30-26), Jackson Liberty (15-9) and West Deptford (30-29 in the quarterfinals of the New
Jersey State Interscholastic South Jersey Group II quarterfinals). “Those comebacks show the tenacity and hunger from these young men,” third-year coach Tommy Farrell said. “They wanted the moment and got what they deserved.” There was the first home playoff game in the history of the school, which opened in 1976 when the Hawks fielded their initial varsity team. There was a fi rst playoff win in school history. There were
the most wins in program history in a three-year span (19). There were the first back-to-back winning seasons in program history. There was an 8-3 overall record, which tied last season’s 8-3 finish for the most wins in a season in program history. And there was a Shore Conference Class C South title at 5-0, the program’s fi rst outright division title in history. “They are hungry to be successful,” said Farrell whose team fell (Championship - See Page 5)
New VA Clinic Brings Care Closer To Home
Photo by Stephanie Faughnan VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, joined by Senator Cory Booker, Senator-elect Andy Kim, Congressman Chris Smith and other dignitaries cutting the ribbon for the new VA Center.
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER – With palpable excitement, VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal said it was great to be back home in New Jersey to celebrate the grand opening of the new VA Clinic on Hooper Avenue in Toms River. “I love this state and the tens of thousands of veterans who are
going to benefit from this clinic for generations to come,” he said. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Elnahal joined a lineup of dignitaries addressing a crowd of more than 300 people gathered under a large tent outside the new clinic. The audience included veterans attending individually and as part of organized groups, (VA Clinic - See Page 4)
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November 30, 2024
Rent Ordinance Changed By Chris Lundy MANCHESTER – A rent leveling ordinance was changed to provide clear rules for how a landlord would appeal to increase rent more than the annual cap. According to the meeting agenda, the ordinance will “provide greater clarity and transparency for landlords seeking to increase rent over the annual cap set by the rent leveling board.” The prior version of the ordinance allowed a mobile home park owner to bypass the cap if they could show that 75% plus 1 of the residents agreed to the increase. Park owners tried to use the fact that residents signed contracts to show that they approved of the increase. However, the township’s opinion was that the tenants were not signing because they were OK with their rents going up, but because they didn’t want to move. The township recognized that park owners could make major improvements that would benefit all residents. The owner could appeal to raise rent higher than the cap to reimburse themselves for such costs. The new ordinance describes the process for how an owner would do so. Attorney Lori C. Greenberg, who represents Pine Ridge, said that the change was in violation of a settlement that had been reached between the landlords and the township. One contention was that the town will require management to plan any capital improvements five years in advance. She said that there’s no telling what state mandates might come down the line that will force improvements the managers wouldn’t be able to prepare for. Manchester’s Business Administrator, Carl Block, said that issue was advisory – to give the public notice if management is considering a project. It can change. Block used to be the business administrator for Ocean County, and (Ordinance - See Page 7)