The JACKSON Times Vol. 21 - No. 50
In This Week’s Edition
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MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
A Community Garden Takes Root
Father’s Day BREAKING NEWS @
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Community News Pages 8-12
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News
Photos by Bob Vosseller Kate Tallon joins one of her two sons in looking over the Plumsted Township Community Garden that is growing behind the New Egypt Volunteer Fire Company on Main Street. By Bob Vosseller PLUMSTED – A community garden in the heart of New Egypt is starting to grow and with community support it may
well get a prosperous harvest. The one obstacle to be weeded out of the Main Street property directly behind the New Egypt Volunteer Fire Company, is
Page 15
Inside The Law Pages 17
Classifieds Page 19
Some flower beds that also include vegetables are catching some sunshine during a recent sunny Sunday in New Egypt as part of a Community Garden project.
a bad case of bamboo that is overrunning areas of the lot but Jackson Township resident John Belasco and Plumsted resident Kate Tallon, a former member of the township’s Environmental Committee who has extensive credentials in environmental science, are working to build the site into a thriving garden spot in the community. One recent sunny Sunday afternoon, Tallon and her two sons came out to do some maintenance work on the garden while Belasco, a landscaper, was mowing the lawn and trimming (Garden - See Page 4)
Ocean County Salutes Its Cultural Champions
Photo by Stephanie Faughnan Lt. Col. Dannielle R. Carroll-Wakem from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst engaged the audience by correlating art with military training.
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER – The energy in the room was electric for the 2025 “Salute to Ocean County: A Celebration of Arts and Heritage,” a vibrant tribute to the area’s creative spirit, held at Ocean County College. Presented by the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission in collaboration with the college, the annual event recognized more than artistic talent - it celebrated the stories, history, and individuals who help preserve and promote the
region’s cultural identity. Elected officials, educators, artists, students, and preservation advocates came together for an evening of awards, performances, and inspiration. Ocean County College President Dr. Pamela Monaco acknowledged that in higher education there’s a great deal of emphasis on technology and science, “but it’s the arts and culture that remind us of who we are, where we came from, and reminds us too – of the power of creativity.” (Champions - See Page 5)
June 14, 2025
Open Space Fund To Be Audited By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – The township’s open space fund is being audited and Council President Jennifer Kuhn said she was alarmed to learn where some of the open space money has gone. “There are things on the bills list that I’m seeing now that I have to sign because we have no business administrator, so I am the second signature on all the bills so I get to see what is going on and I’ve been questioning it,”
she said. “We are the purse for the town.” She added, “we really need to look and see where our money is going. So, I am questioning, where is it all going? I did not get the audit that I requested but I got a statement of the account. I looked over it. I’m not an accountant and I questioned $2.1 million levy that was put into so I did call our new CFO (chief fi nancial officer) who explained it was from taxes from (Fund - See Page 6)
Residents Hear Why Energy Bills Are Increasing
By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – A representative of Jersey Central Power & Light explained a 20% utility bill increase that rate payers across the state will see this montyh during a recent Township Council meeting. Robert Bryce, the Regional External Affairs Coordinator for JCP&L had a PowerPoint presentation that showed what residents would see concerning the fee increase on their June 1 bills. “It’s important to realize that there are two charges on your bill. One is generation. One is distribution.” “JCP&L is a distribution company only,” Bryce stressed. He noted that New Jersey was one of the states that deregulated utilities in 1999 separating generation and distribution. “JCP&L can no longer be involved in the generation of power. It is totally separate. We are the delivery people.” He compared his firm to an Uber delivery service and the generation company as “the (Energy Bills - See Page 16)
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