The HOWELL Times
Vol. 23 - No. 33
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Local Singer Writes Songs Of Love And Loss
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 5-6
Dear Pharmacist Page 9
Inside The Law Page 9
Classifieds Page 13
Howell’s Micheal Cappetto performing live. By Andrew Rice HOWELL – Howell Township is not typically seen as a hotbed for the performing arts, but that doesn’t mean that their aren’t local
artists with a significant connection to the town. For example, there is one Howell resident who is trying to make his way into the local indie/pop music stream.
Photo courtesy Micheal Cappetto Michael Cappetto, who was born in Long Branch but moved to Howell before he attended high school there, has had a connection with music from a young age,
but he really developed a passion for it when he realized that music is not just artistic expression, but a form of healing as well. (Singer - See Page 2)
Former Cop Avoids Jail In Domestic Violence Case By Stephanie Faughnan JERSEY SHORE – A former Toms River police officer who pleaded guilty to breaking into a home and assaulting a woman during a domestic Photo by Stephanie Faughnan violence incident will not Rebecca Sayegh, a former Toms River po- serve additional jail time. lice officer, stands beside her attorney, Kel- Instead, Rebecca Sayegh, ly Toner, during her sentencing hearing. 32, was sentenced to pro-
GOLD Exceeds $4,500 an Ounce! OVER 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS
HIGHEST RATED CASH FOR GOLD STORE IN OCEAN COUNTY
bation after Ocean County Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan concluded that incarceration was not appropriate under New Jersey sentencing law for a firsttime offender convicted of third-degree crimes. The sentencing hearing was held January 16 before Ryan, who repeated-
ly reminded those in the courtroom that he was bound to sentence Sayegh only for the offenses to which she pleaded guilty, not for more ser ious charges initially filed. “I’m constrained to abide by the principle that I have to sentence her for (Case - See Page 3)
SILVER Nears $70 an Ounce!
90% SILVER • MEDALLIONS FLATWARE • SCRAP • JEWELRY TEA SETS • TRAYS • PITCHERS CANDELABRAS
January 24, 2026
First Council Meeting Brings Land Use Issues
By Andrew Rice HOWELL – Susan Fischer took her oath to be the deputy mayor, and other council appointments were made, at the annual Township Council held its reorganization meeting. To open the meeting, there was a presentation of the colors by the Howell Township Police Color Guard. They also had Deacon Kevin Smith from Saint William the Abbot to bless the council and ask the lord to provide them with the qualities they need to do their job well, and to bless the people of Howell as a whole. They then moved on to public comments, where again, issues with neighboring rental properties were brought to the council by a concerned citizen. The rental property in discussion was on Bry Avenue. The speaker, Mark Chicketano, pointed out that this property has been a rental property for a long time, and various tenants have lived there over the years. However, the house is now up for rent, and, according to Chicketano, has been left unlocked by the landlord. A few nights ago, four figures were seen going into the house at 11 p.m. Chicketano confronted the men, asking if they should be there at that time. In response, the four men ran to the vehicle and took off, destroying the mailbox in the process. He also pointed out that there is trash all up and down Bry Avenue not in trash bags on pickup days, which is a code violation. After closing public comments, the council members and the mayor gave brief talks about heading into the New Year; however, Mayor John Leggio added a few interesting points to his welcoming the new year speech. After talking about how the council and the professionals will be working for the benefit of everyone during the upcoming year, he started to talk about the appointments they would be making. “We will be voting in the next couple minutes on our appointments, and there’ll be two separate ones that I will be voting no on. The reason I am voting no is because I don’t feel that these professionals are doing the best of their ability for the town, and I think we need a new, fresh set of eyes and some new ideas with the changing landscape that’s going on. I’m frustrated with my fellow council members on some of these decisions that were made, but that’s the way it is.” Leggio voted no on the appointment of (Issues - See Page 2)
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