The BERKELEY Times Vol. 30 - No. 42
In This Week’s Edition
Winterfest Was A Cool Place To Be
Change In Social Security Overpayments Addressed
BREAKING NEWS @
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Government Page 8
Community News Pages 9-13
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 20
April 12, 2025
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Photo by Chris Lundy (Left) Kids got a chance to ice skate without actual ice. (Right) Winter-themed bounce houses added to the festive feel. By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – Although the temperature wasn’t anywhere near freezing, hundreds of residents came out to the first ever Winterfest held on the football field near Veterans Park. In fact, the nice weather meant that more people would come to enjoy the event. A portable ice rink, made up of individual plastic tiles smoothly linked together, was a highlight of the day. Kids donned skates and made their way around the rink. Some used a prop to keep themselves balanced. Local groups like the Berkeley Township Historical Society, Recreation Department, and first responders had tables to let people
know what they do and how to get involved. Speakers blared upbeat music and at one point - perhaps intentionally - played a song from the movie “Frozen.” Inflatables with a winter theme dominated one half of the field. You could buy a ride bracelet for unlimited turns. Kids were pulling their parents by the hand to the next activity. The field was in great shape. Families claimed spots, spreading out blankets like a picnic. They picked up fair favorites like kettle corn or funnel cakes and brought them back to their spots. There were also food trucks selling such things as pizza, empanadas and
Meals On Wheels Maintains A Lifeline For Residents
By Chris Lundy OCEAN COUNTY – There’s nothing like a meal to bring people together. In some cases, the meal is being delivered by a volunteer. The Ocean County Meals on Wheels recently passed its 50th anniversary. The need for this service is just as great now as it was half a century ago. In fact, it’s even more critical to have this support in place. Last year, they provided 260,000 meals between home delivery and cafes, said Heather
DeJong, Community Relations Specialist for Meals on Wheels of Ocean County. Bernice Wuttke and her daughter, Jennifer, rely on these meals. “They’re nutritious, with carbohydrates and proteins we need,” said Bernice, who retired from being a registered nurse due to medical issues. She lives in Toms River with her adult daughter who has special needs. “There’s a feeling of safety knowing that
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arepas. These were set up by the entrance so you were surrounded by these delicious aromas when you walked in. Katelynn Stanfield was carrying around a puppy named Gizmo. She and her family just moved to Ocean County. “For me, it gave the kids a chance to run around, get out and make friends,” she said. Her daughter said her favorite part of the fest was face painting, as she looked up at her mom expectantly. Her face wasn’t painted yet, but she was cleverly using a reporter’s question to entice her mother to bring her to the face painter.
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – The Township Council is urging the federal government to reverse their new policy which would clawback Social Security overpayments at 100% The Social Security Administration made an announcement March 7, stating that if it accidentally overpays you, it will recoup 100% of the overpaid money. Previously, they would only take 10% of the overpayment back. “It’s putting people into a situation where they don’t have the money to pay it back,” Councilman Michael Signorile said. With all of its senior communities, Berkeley houses a large number of people on Social Security. The Council is passing a resolution asking the Social Security administration to change it back to 10%. Letters notifying Social Security beneficiaries were scheduled to go out to on March 27. Anyone who was overpaid before this date will still have to pay the government back at the old rate of 10%. The new policy only affects future overpayment mistakes. The Social Security Administration went on to say that anyone who is overpaid after March 27 will automatically be placed in full recovery at a rate of 100 percent of the Social Security payment. If you can’t afford to pay it (Social Security - See Page 4)
County Has Plans For Building Being Bought From Schools By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - The Ocean County Board of Commissioners are moving forward with plans to purchase a building owned by the Toms River School District for $15.4 million, saying the deal offers significant savings compared to new construction and will help meet the county’s long-term space needs. A public hearing on the ordinance to allocate $20.5 million from the county’s Capital Improvement Fund - which includes the
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building acquisition and other potential real estate purchases on or near Hooper Avenue - is scheduled for April 16. Ocean County Administrator Michael Fiure said the building located at 1144 Hooper Avenue contains approximately 94,000 square feet of usable office space. An additional 4,000 square feet of the building is dedicated to an entryway and atrium that can’t be used for office space. The purchase price converts (Building - See Page 5)
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