The HOWELL Times
Vol. 23 - No. 36
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Crowd At Reptile Show Tips The Scales
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 7-9
Dear Pharmacist Page 13
Inside The Law Page 13
Classifieds Page 15
Photo by Andrew Rice Members of Small and Furry Rescue of Howell hold snakes at the reptile show. By Andrew Rice HOWELL - The New Jersey Reptile Show had its second ever event recently at the VFW Post 2179 meeting hall on Port Monmouth. Accordi ng to the event’s website, this family-friendly reptile and exotic pet expo was meant to be a show-
case where hobbyists, breede r s, fa m il ies, and the reptile-curious can come together to explore the amazing world of exotic animals. The event included appearances from some of the top exotic pet shops, licensed breeders, and animal care professionals.
Due to New Jersey’s strict laws on the sale and possession of exotic pets, there aren’t many reptile shows in the state, meaning that local sellers, breeders, and enthusiasts usually have to go out of state for an event like this. However, that also means that when an
event like this is hosted in the Garden State, it gets packed wall to wall. The event had over 60 tables to browse and shop from, with many of the tables selling live animals right from their booth, while other tables sold reptile care accessories. (Reptile - See Page 2)
February 14, 2026
School Board Dispels Merger Rumors
By Andrew Rice HOWELL - Board of Education members said that it was unlikely that they would merge with other districts during their most recent meeting. Newly inaugurated Governor Mikie Sherrill has discussed school mergers from time to time. While not mentioning Howell in particular, Sherrill has been on record proposing that non-consolidated districts might have to be merged with other districts in order to save administrative costs. It was brought up at the meeting by the boa rd so t hat t hey could quell some concerns the public was having over it. The board pointed out that if they were going to attempt to merge any school district with Howell, it would be Farmingdale’s school district and even that was very unlikely.
On top of that, they said that a vote would be called for the locals to decide whether or not their district gets merged with another, so local approval would be needed for such an action. They also disputed the governor’s claim that merging districts saves administrative costs, saying that this is not guaranteed and relies on effective planning to do so. The board also used this meeting to fill a vaca nt spot a mong their ranks that was left when former board member Dr. Sara Moran relocated with her family, thus leaving an open spot. Several candidates showed up to the meeting to present to the board why they should be selected to join their ranks. After everyone who wanted to be considered for the role gave their presentation, the (School - See Page 2)
Seniors Taught To Recognize AI And Disinformation
By Sara Rafferty BRICK – Seniors learned how to spot artificial intelligence and disinformation at a talk hosted by the local library. Sarah Spellman, a volunteer for AARP, said she introduces elderly communities to the world of technology and how to protect themselves from scams. The most important part of Spellman’s presentation was her advice on detecting AI and avoiding scams. For deepfakes (fake images), look out for things that look too airbrushed. For example, a person’s undereye often looks much brighter, their hair appears blurred, etc. Pay close attention to a person’s body - AI often struggles to create the
correct number of fingers and toes. Their muscle lines may not look entirely connected. If it’s an image of nature, pay attention to the lines on trees, the flower petals, or if the grass appears airbrushed. For voice cloning, fake voices are often much smoother than normal. A person’s natural accent may be distorted, there will be limited to no sounds of breathing, and they may sound more confident - they won’t hesitate or stumble on their words. She focused on the disinformation spread by AI and the ever-increasing risks. She also highlighted the important difference between misinformation - the accidental spread of untruths, (Seniors - See Page 4)
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