The BERKELEY Times Vol. 30 - No. 31
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
January 25, 2025
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
When Playing For Charity, Toll Increases Also A Good Time Is In The Cards Increase Anger Of Residents
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 7
Community News Pages 8-13
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Inside The Law Page 16
Photo by Chris Lundy Card games, roulette, craps and more were played for fun and the main winner was charity. By Chris Lundy BEACHWOOD – The sound of spinning roulette wheels was punctuated by shouts of victory as upbeat music blared. The reason for all the commotion: Hope Out Loud. The casino-themed fundraiser, hosted by a hotel in Toms River, raised money to help local families who are having trouble making ends meet. Hope Out Loud was started by Elliott Wohl and Jennifer Rolfs of Beachwood. The start of their
fundraising journey was unusual to say the least. They were out to dinner one night. While she was using the restroom, he checked Facebook. He made a quick comment online saying good night to everyone in Zone A and disparaging the other three zones. Beachwood is broken up into four zones for the sole purpose of determining what days your garbage and recycling are. Wohl woke up the next morning with 170 comments. This good-natured smack talk took
(Toll Increases - See Page 4)
(Charity - See Page 4)
Input Wanted On Transportation Issues By Chris Lundy OCEAN COUNTY – Everyone knows that traffic is getting worse, but what is the solution? The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority is crafting a 25-year strategy on improving various forms of transportation. It might be hard to imagine what 2050 will look like, but assuming we don’t have flying cars yet, they want to know how to improve roads, bus service, and more. The long-range plan is called Connecting
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – The Township Council passed a resolution opposing the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s 3 percent toll increase in January. “More people in Ocean County travel north in the morning than in any county in the state. We get the brunt of it,” Mayor John Bacchione said. The 2025 tolls are $1.15 for Toms River and $2.30 for all other tolls that are on the actual Garden State Parkway. Tolls on the ramps vary from 85 cents to $2.30. This is just the cash rate for cars, motorcycles and taxis. If you’re using E-ZPass, Toms River is $1.09 and every other toll is $2.17. Tolls on the ramps range from 76 cents to $2.17. Drivers are hit by tolls getting on the Parkway at Bayville, then again a few miles north in Toms River and again if they get off at Lakewood or Brick. This would be $2.85 one-way (cash) or $2.61 (E-ZPass) for about 15 miles of road. After this trip, you still get caught in traffic in Brick and immediately north of that exit, Councilman Keith Buscio noted. The new Veterans Administration clinic opened in Toms River at the end of 2024. However, the old one was in Brick, which meant it was costly for veterans having to go there, Councilman James Byrnes said. The Township Council also asked the Turnpike Authority to remove Bayville’s toll plaza. Local officials have often petitioned the state for lower tolls and for an Ocean County representative to be on
Communities. The survey can be found at njtpa.org/connecting. It only takes a few minutes and you can enter into a raffle for a $25 gift card at the end. The questions ask what town you live and work in, but don’t ask your name or address. They want to know how often you use public transportation, and what it would take for you to use it more. They address people who need wheelchairs or other personal mobility devices. The questionnaire is in English, Spanish, (Transportation - See Page 4)
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Each Stitch Counts: Knitting Together A Community Of Caring By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - When Debbie Trainor picks up her knitting needles, it’s more than a hobby - it’s a mission. As the founder and president of the non-profit Each Stitch Counts, Trainor has woven her passion for knitting into a helping hand for families experiencing hygiene insecurity. The organization distributes handmade cotton
dishcloths attached to bottles of dish soap to food pantries across Ocean and Monmouth Counties. A Toms River resident and retired public school business administrator, Trainor dedicated 35 years of her career to ensuring students and staff had the resources they needed. Knitting has been a steady thread (Each Stitch Counts - See Page 5)
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