The BERKELEY Times Vol. 31 - No. 37
In This Week’s Edition
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Lucy, Ricky, Honeymooners And Hillbillies Take The Stage
New Route To Parkway Discussed
(Top) If you’re ever in a jam, here are Lucy and Ethel to sing about “Friendship.” (Bottom) Mr. Drysdale, the Clampetts, and Granny from “The Beverly Hillbillies.” Photos courtesy Variety & Drama Club
Daylight Savings
March 8th BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 7
Community News Pages 8-9
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Inside The Law
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – Is variety is the spice of life, than the Holiday City at Berkeley Variety & Drama Club really spiced life up for their neighbors. What would happen if some famous families from television’s yesteryears moved into a senior community in Florida? (Take The Stage - See Page 4)
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A Trip To Urgent Care Saved Her Life Photo courtesy Nicole Argento Barnegat resident Nicole Argento is facing months of chemotherapy following a Stage 3 ovarian cancer diagnosis that began with a visit to urgent care.
By Stephanie Faughnan BARNEGAT - By the time Nicole Argento walked into CityMD in Manahawkin just days before New Year’s Eve last year, the 34-year-old Barnegat mother was tired, uncomfortable and certain she knew exactly what was wrong. She had already been turned away from three urgent care centers that day because they were too full to see her. All she wanted was a simple antibiotic for what she believed was a urinary tract infection. The lower abdominal pain felt like menstrual cramps. It did not seem serious. It did not seem life-threatening. (Saved Her Life - See Page 5)
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March 7, 2026
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – Officials are discussing extending Western Boulevard which would allow another route to the Garden State Parkway through the proposed Beachwood Mall redevelopment. The Beachwood Mall was the shopping center on Route 9 just south of Beachwood. It’s in Berkeley, but the owner named it Beachwood because he was mad at Berkeley officials at the time. The property has been under contract for a number of years to a redeveloper who would clean it out and construct retail and residential buildings. This was designated as a “town center” and an “area in need of redevelopment” a long time ago in order to give municipal officials more control over what is being built there. One part of this project has been the extension of Western Boulevard. Despite the name, it doesn’t go east to west. It’s just on the western side of the Pinewald section of town. Drivers would drive by the new retail and apartments of the former Beachwood Mall, and head south on Western Boulevard, past Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, make a right onto Veterans Boulevard, and take that to the Parkway. “Western Boulevard is an asset to our town center. It’s very important to me,” Mayor John Bacchione said at a recent Township Council meeting. He said that he met with county officials (New Route - See Page 6)
Local Towns Named Safest In State By Stephanie Faughnan OCEAN COUNTY - In a state as densely populated as New Jersey, cracking the top five safest communities is no small feat. For Barnegat, it also comes with national recognition as well. According to newly released 2026 SafeWise crime rankings based on FBI data, Barnegat Township, with a population of 26,000, ranked #4 among the Safest Cities in New Jersey. But the good news didn’t stop there. Barnegat also earned a spot on the national stage, ranking #85 among the 100 Safest Cities in the United States. How The Rankings Work SafeWise bases its lists strictly on reported crime data submitted to the (Local Towns - See Page 4)
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