TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 20 - No. 37
In This Week’s Edition
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“48 Hours for the Fund” Local Man Runs For 48 Hours Straight we’re all fighting the same fight,” he said. “I’m just grateful that I’ve been given this God-given opportunity to do something extraordinary for other people that have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could do things like this.” From December 21 to December 23, Certa ran on a treadmill in Bradley Beach’s Jersey Shore Fitness Shop, a 24-hour gym. The total distance for his run was 152.8 miles. To keep himself occupied, Photo courtesy of Anthony Certa Certa watched outside windows, Anthony Certa was steady on the treadmill for 48 hours, occa- browsed social media and spoke sionally accompanied by his service dog, Mando. with other gym goers about the foundation. By Liz Ciocher per Fi and America’s Fund - a With a QR code and pamphlets TOMS RIVER - When Matawan nonprofit organization that helps explaining Certa’s mission, he Aberdeen Middle School teacher veterans with PTSD and similar was able to gather the attention Anthony Certa was 18 years old, experiences to his own. of every visitor, and with their he did what many Americans did Most recently for the founda- help and donations, was able in 2002 - he enlisted in the United tion, Certa took on a challenge to raise over $1,200. On top of States military to defend his country. that has not been accomplished, that, the Bob and Renee Parsons He enlisted in the Marines Corps or even considered of, by many: Foundation, which is partnered from the ages of 18 to 22 and served he ran a consecutive 48 hours on with Semper Fi and America’s in Iraq in 2003, 2004 and 2005. a treadmill. Fund, matched all that Certa Now, as a 41-year-old veteran, Certa “I want to give back [to Semper raised, totaling the donations to continues to provide for his country, Fi and America’s Fund] because about $2,500. but in a different manner. By running once a Marine, always a Marine. “Other people have paid the ultiextreme lengths and other physical We’re all in this together. Some mate sacrifice so I could do things challenges, Certa evokes awareness of our injuries might be a little like this. It hurt in different ways and donations from people to Sem- bit more than other people’s, but (48 Hours - See Page 4)
EMS Delay: “When Are They Coming To Help Me?”
Photo courtesy John Ponticello Philip Ponticello died almost 10 years ago – his brother blames a delay in emergency response time.
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, gray-faced, 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 sud-
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den 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 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 (EMS Delay - See Page 5)
January 18, 2025
New Rules Cause Free Speech Concerns
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER – The first Township Council meeting of 2025 set the tone for what will undoubtedly be another lively year in Toms River politics, with arguments already starting about the First Amendment and transparency. While Justin Lamb’s swearing in ceremony as council president was marked with traditional fanfare, the council’s vote for him was anything but unanimous. Councilmen Jim Quinlisk and Tom Nivison voted against Lamb’s nomination as council president, while Councilman Dave Ciccozzi abstained from the vote. Quinlisk expressed frustration with the way the nomination process unfolded, sharing that Lamb left him a message the evening before the meeting. “I returned his call the next business day, and that’s when he told me he wanted my support,” Quinlisk said. “He wanted a unanimous vote going into the meeting. The president’s supposed to be picked by the whole council. The three of us never got to discuss who we wanted.” Lamb began his first term in office in 2022 and is up for reelection this year. He is a sergeant with the Lavallette Police Department, where he has served for more than two decades. He is also a practicing attorney. Mayor Daniel Rodrick administered the oath of office, with Lamb’s wife, Ashley, newly elected president of the Toms River Board of Education, holding the Bible. Lamb’s father, Robert (a Lavallette councilman), and his brother Zack were also a part of the ceremony. Councilman Craig Coleman was selected as council vice president, with the results mirroring Lamb’s election. In his inaugural speech as council president, Lamb expressed gratitude for Coleman’s service as president last year. “You are a class act, and you remained above the fray during a year of transitional success. This council will stay the course, always taking a small government posture with every decision we make,” Lamb stated. Mayor Rodrick expressed his gratitude for Coleman’s “unwavering dedication to our cause of fiscal responsibility and good governance.” He also referred to him as a “a true leader who stared into the storm - an embodiment of resilience in the face of an onslaught of opposition from a very small contingent of political agitators. Throughout his presidency, he faced a barrage (New Rules - See Page 4)
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