The BERKELEY Times Vol. 31 - No. 28
In This Week’s Edition
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Ceremony Honors Students Who Became Soldiers
January 3, 2026
Speeding, Blackouts Addressed In Berkeley Shores
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Photo by Chris Lundy Residents have complained about speeding on Amherst Drive.
Government Page 6
Community News Pages 8-9, 12
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Inside The Law Page 17
Photo by Chris Lundy A ceremony honored soldiers who graduated Central Regional High School, joined the military, and made the ultimate sacrifice. By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – A solemn ceremony was held at Central Regional High School, honoring five soldiers from that school who never made it home from deployment. A monument for these sol-
diers was installed years ago on the school’s grounds between the two major entrances. There’s a stone with each name engraved, surrounded by flags and decorations. The JROTC Eagle Battalion came out in force for the service.
Five of them lined up in front of the small crowd attending the ceremony: Lt. Col Kaitlyn Ely, Major Giovanni Holguin, Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Stagg, Capt. Anna Pitts and 2 nd Lt. Sophia Pitts. Each of them read (Ceremony - See Page 5)
State Might End Graduation Tests
By Chris Lundy TRENTON – A bill that would eliminate the tests students need to graduate, leaving boards of education to determine graduation requirements has advanced to the State Senate. Assembly bill A-4121 would eliminate the high school gradua-
tion proficiency test, which is taken in 11th grade. Graduation requirements would be determined by local boards of education, but the State Commissioner of Education would monitor these requirements. The bill passed the Assembly (55-17-0). It now goes to the Senate
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Education Committee. There was considerable discussion on it during an Assembly Education Committee recently. Two people who were against the bill were given the opportunity to speak first. “There needs to be a mechanism that clearly communicates proficien-
cy for our graduates,” said Athea Ford, vice president of government affairs for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. Future employers need to know what graduates are capable of. Whether this mechanism is the graduation proficiency test or something else, the
NJBIA doesn’t have a strong opinion, she explained. There just has to be something. Wells Wingar, executive director of the New Jersey Policy Institute, also said that there needs to be something showing that schools are preparing students for
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(Tests - See Page 5)
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – Even quiet shore communities are not immune to speeding and traffic issues, as complaints were raised about Amherst Drive, which leads to lagoon properties in the neighborhood of Berkeley Shores. Amherst Drive resident Bill Lin came to a recent Township Council meeting and said there was a lot of traffic and speeding on that road. Additionally, there’s been a lot of construction lately, and there are construction trailers left out often. Another problem he mentioned was ebikes speeding by. Mayor John Bacchione said there are speed humps on that road designed to slow down drivers. Lin said that some drivers will hug the curb so that only two of their wheels go up, negating
the impact of the speed humps. Also, ebike riders treat them “like an obstacle course.” There had been a speed monitor on the street set up by the police recently. This is one of those devices that tell you how fast you are going. Lin said that this acted as a deterrent while it was there, but he’d like more enforcement in the area. Police Chief Kevin Santucci, who attends most of the Council meeti ngs, said that sometimes those monitors are not just there to tell drivers how fast they are going. They are there to tell police how fast people have gone. They could have collected enough information to determine the next step in enforcement. “Ebikes are a big issue right now throughout the state,” he said. (Speeding - See Page 7)
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