The BRICK Times Vol. 25 - No. 48
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Jersey Shore BlueClaws Excited About 25th Season
BREAKING NEWS @
Photo courtesy Jeff Auger for Jersey Shore BlueClaws
jerseyshoreonline.com
Mycal Jones is in his first season as the Jersey Shore BlueClaws’ manager.
Government Page 7
Community News Page 8-11
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Inside The Law Page 17
Photo courtesy Taylor Pietrangelo for Jersey Shore BlueClaws Buster, the BlueClaws mascot, is ready for the new season. By Chris Christopher LAKEWOOD - Another season of excitement and entertainment is on tap at the ShoreTown Ballpark, the home of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, the Philadelphia Phillies’ affiliate which competes in the South Atlantic League, a High-A circuit. And it will be a special season as the BlueClaws are in their 25th year. Jersey Shore will play its first three regular-season games on the road. The BlueClaws’ first home regular-season game will be played Tuesday, April 7, against the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Cyclones of the New York Mets’ minor-league system at 6:35 on Opening
Night at the Jersey Shore. The BlueClaws will play 132 regular-season games, including 66 at home. A 25th Anniversary Commemorative Ticket Giveaway will take place Saturday, April 11, when Jersey Shore hosts the Cyclones at 4 p.m. Tickets will go to the first 1,100 fans through the turnstiles. The BlueClaws’ home cap will have a 25th anniversary patch. The logo, in the shape of a beach badge, contains the team’s surfing crab logo, says 25th anniversary across the top and the seasons 2001 and 2026 are listed on each side of the pin. The BlueClaws began play in 2001. (Blue Claws- See Page 4)
Finances, Bullying Discussed By School Officials By Andrew Rice BRICK – The district’s budget for next school year and reports of bullying incidents were the main topics of discussion at the most recent Board of Education meeting. Nelson Ribon, the district’s HIB (Harassment, Bullying, Intimidation) coordinator for the Brick Township School District, gave his mid-year HIB prevention update. The requirement for such an update comes from the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act, which is a state law that is designed to ensure that all students learn in a safe, supportive, and respectful environment. According to Ribon’s report, there were 12 total reported incidents of harassment, bullying, and intimidation across all of
Brick’s schools for the first half of the school year, spanning from August of 2025 to January of 2026. Half of the districts’ recorded incidents came from one school, Lake Riviera Middle School. LRMS was the only school to have more than three total incidents. Brick Township High School had the second-most incidents, with three, while Brick Memorial High School, Veterans Memorial High School, and Osbornville Elementary School each had one incident apiece. The district’s preschools reported no incidents in either building. The fact that there were 12 total recorded incidents is a steep drop-off from the session 1 incidents in years prior and reflects
GOLD Exceeds $4,500 an Ounce! OVER 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS
HIGHEST RATED CASH FOR GOLD STORE IN OCEAN COUNTY
April 4, 2026
Budget Could Cause 3.2 Cent Tax Rate Increase By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - Mayor Lisa Crate introduced the 2026 proposed municipal budget during the most recent Township Council Meeting. “As always, our goal is pretty straightforward: manage things responsibly, keep our finances in check, and make sure we’re delivering the services our residents rely on every single day,” she said. The $126,243,931 spending plan shows an increase of 2.8 percent over last year’s budget, and an increase of 3.2 cents for the municipal portion of the tax. The 2025 municipal budget totaled approximately $122.7 million. For the average home in Brick, the increase averages out to $98 a year. “We understand that any increase matters, and this wasn’t taken lightly,” the mayor said. “Like everyone else, we are dealing with rising costs. Fuel, electricity, natural gas, utility expenses - across the board - are up, and that impacts nearly every part of our operations.” She said the administration tried hard to keep spending growth steady and predictable while continuing to fund the township’s core services. The average annual increase over the last ten budgets has been just over 2 percent, while the ten budgets before those averaged 5.6 percent yearly, she added. The 2026 Municipal Budget represents about 30 percent of the total tax bill. The remaining 70 percent is determined by the Board of Education, the County and the local fire district. The municipal portion supports the township police department, including dispatchers and EMTs, which account for one out of every four dollars in the spending plan. The most significant increases are in health insurance, up some $2.1 million for township employees, and a 20 percent rate hike in fuel costs approved by New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, increases which the mayor said “is beyond our control.” The budget includes support for Senior Services and the Senior Center. Some of (Budget - See Page 5)
(Finances, Bullying - See Page 5)
SILVER Nears $70 an Ounce!
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