The MANCHESTER Times Vol. 30 - No. 42
In This Week’s Edition
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Town Council Sets Tone For 2025
K-9 Officer Buck Joins Police Department
By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – Township off icials, staff and residents bade goodbye to Mayor Robert Arace during the recently held Township Council reorganization meeting. This meeting served to pave the way for change within the governing body but the council president and vice president will remain the same. Normally, the reorganization meeting starts with the swearing in
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Falls, led by Lt. Antony Turso. Buck’s handler is Officer Jon Meaney, who has been serving in the township police department since 2020. The new addition to the department’s K-9 unit was purchased from Garden State K-9 in Succasunna, thanks to grant funding and the (K9 - See Page 9)
EMS Delay: “When Are They Coming To Help Me?”
By Stephanie Faughnan OCEAN COUNTY – Philip Ponticello’s final moments haunt his brother John to this day. On August 15, 2015, Philip clutched his chest, grayfaced, gasping for air. “His dying words were, ‘When are they coming to help me?’” John recalls the memory of his brother’s anguish still vivid
nearly a decade later. Philip, 64, had never been seriously ill in his entire life, making his sudden distress all the more alarming. On that fateful morning, he stumbled into the living room of their Pine Ridge at Crestwood home in Whiting, clutching his chest like a man fighting for every breath. John acted
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Lakehurst Kicks Off New Year With Renewed Energy
Photo courtesy Manchester Police Manchester Township’s Police Department has a new addition in the form of K-9 Officer Buck, seen here with his handler, Officer Jon Meaney. By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – The township police department is welcoming a new officer serving on the force, K-9 officer Buck. The red American Labrador, who is less than a year old, was specially trained in detecting narcotics by scent as well as tracking with the New Jersey Police K-9 Association in Tinton
of any public officials elected or re-elected during the November general election which in this case would have been council members Craig Wallis, James Vaccaro and Michele Zolezi on the all-GOP council. The incumbents, who easily won re-election in an uncontested race, were sworn in prior to the 11 a.m. reorganization meeting so the first point of business was to select the council
quickly, administering nitroglycerin tablets of his own and calling 911. But the system failed them. The first 911 call was dropped. As he placed the second call, John barely got out a plea for Photo courtesy John Ponticello help when the phone went Philip Ponticello died almost dead again. It wasn’t until the 10 years ago – his brother third call that the voice on the blames a delay in emergency (EMS - See Page 7) response time.
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Photo by Bob Vosseller Jeffrey Emmons joins his family as he takes his first oath of office as councilman during the reorganization meeting of the Lakehurst Borough Council. His oath of office was administered by Borough Attorney Ian M. Goldman. By Bob Vosseller LAKEHURST – The Mayor and Council were joined by some residents for a brief reorganization meeting and a nice luncheon afterwards. The governing body covered all the necessary (Lakehurst - See Page 5)
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