The BRICK Times Vol. 25 - No. 37
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Major Turnover Reshapes County Leadership
January 17, 2026
Narrow Roads, Speeders A Dangerous Combo
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Photo courtesy Brendan Stuk Walking a dog on a narrow road with no sidewalks is dangerous for everyone involved, a resident said.
Government Page 6
Community News Page 7-8
Inside The Law Page 12
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 13
Photo by Stephanie Faughnan The Ocean County Board of Commissioners following the county’s 2026 reorganization meeting. From left: Robert Arace, Deputy Director Jennifier Bacchione, Director Frank Sadeghi, Sam Ellenbogen, and Ray Gormley. By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - Ocean County government entered 2026 amid one of its most significant leadership transitions in decades, with a Board of Commissioners that looks markedly different from just a few years ago. At the county’s January 7 reorganization meeting, commissioners set the direction for the year ahead while acknowledging recent changes in leadership. While the meeting included ceremo-
nial swearings-in, several officials had already taken the oath, including Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, County Clerk Jack Kelly, and Deputy Clerk Ashley Lamb. John Catalano will continue serving as one of two deputy clerks under Kelly. Commissioners Sam Ellenbogen and Ray Gormley were sworn into office on January 2. In just two years, the five-member Board of Commissioners has turned over completely (County Leadership - See Page 4)
Toms River Protestors Debate ICE Tactics By Bob Vosseller TOMS RIVER - Approximately 100 people came out to Hooper Avenue for a protest that was part of the thousand or so nationwide “ICE Out for Good” rallies held in response to the controversial death of a Minneapolis woman. Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, Jonathan Ross, on January 7 during an ICE operation, sparking the protests. Federal officials claimed she tried to run over agents with her car, while some questioned the use of force, leading to clashes and broader demonstrations against immigration enforce-
ment. Minnesota’s mayor and governor, both Democrats, and the administration of Republican President Trump offered up drastically different accounts of the incident. The majority of those in attendance on the January 11 protest were in opposition to ICE tactics and blamed Good’s death on Ross using excessive force. Some questioned the agency’s authority and were critical toward the way the agency has been operating, noting other incidents of violence and the treatment of American citizens who the agency suspected had illegally entered the country. Many who came out had previously supported the No
GOLD Exceeds $4,500 an Ounce! OVER 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS
HIGHEST RATED CASH FOR GOLD STORE IN OCEAN COUNTY
(Debate ICE - See Page 6)
SILVER Nears $70 an Ounce!
90% SILVER • MEDALLIONS FLATWARE • SCRAP • JEWELRY TEA SETS • TRAYS • PITCHERS CANDELABRAS
By Chris Lundy BRICK – A resident urged the governing body to address what he said is a dangerous situation involving speeders on narrow streets. In the Cedarwood Park section of town, pedestrians take their lives in their hands, resident Brendan Stuk said. He brought the issue up at a recent Township Council meeting. He said that after the road was paved in 2021, it became a speedway. The residents had to complain frequently before a speed limit sign was installed. Then, when a double yellow line was painted down the middle, it made the speeding worse, he said. Most double yellows are on highways, so people treat it as such. Additionally, before the lines were painted, a driver would move over when they saw a pedestrian on the side of the road. Now, they won’t because they can’t cross the double line. So, they put the pedestrians in danger. It doesn’t help that people cut through the neighborhood to go between Hooper Avenue and Mantoloking Road, he said. Parishioners at the nearby Church of the Visitation leave services “like high schoolers leaving school,” he said. He said he has had multiple incidents near the intersection of Lynnwood and Fairfield avenues due to the narrow lane and people not crossing the double yellow to get some space away from pedestrians. If someone has a stroller, or a mobility device like the motorized wheelchair that one neighbor uses to walk his dogs, there is no safe place to go, he told The Brick Times. (Narrow Roads - See Page 7)
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