Week in News: Sandy Aid Closer to Approval, Signs of Shore Restoration

Christie: Strong Dunes Save Lives, Rebuilding Them Will Employ New Jerseyans

Bradley Beach — With the whir of front loaders and bulldozers pushing sand on the beachfront behind him, Gov. Chris Christie pointed to rebuilding an aggressive dune system as perhaps the most important step in restoring and safeguarding tourism, property and residents' lives along the Jersey Shore.

Read more on Manasquan-Belmar Patch. 

Couples Left Devastated by Sandy Will Have Dream Weddings After All

Brick — Becky Grodzki and Matthew Budreck, both of Brick, had planned their June wedding at the waterfront Martell's Waters Edge venue, in Bayville. But when Sandy blew in, portions of the couple's venue were reduced to rubble, and they were told the venue probably wouldn't be ready in time for their wedding.

Grodzki and Budreck captured the most votes overall in the Jersey Shore Strong Wedding Package Give-away. The couple received $13,000 in wedding goods, which they can now use for their big day, which has been rescheduled for the Battleground Country Club in Freehold Township. 

Read more on Barnegat-Manahawkin Patch.

House Approves $50.7 Billion Sandy Relief Bill

Jersey Shore — The U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve a Hurricane Sandy relief package totaling $50.7 billion Tuesday night, the culmination of a contentious day that included charges of overspending from House Republicans and demands from legislators in Sandy-affected areas for their Congressional peers to do the right thing.

Read more on Brick Patch.

Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Bed Bath & Beyond Stabbing

Middletown — Tyrik S. Haynes, 19, of Middletown is being held at the county jail on $1 million bail after being charged with first-degree attempted murder and weapons offenses by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. 

Haynes allegedly stabbed a 29-year old Keansburg woman inside the Bed Bath & Beyond store at 1515 Route 35, at Harmony Road on Thursday.  

Read more on Middletown Patch.

Early February Date Announced for Ortley Beach Repopulation

Toms River — Some Ortley Beach residents will be allowed to move back to their homes in early February under a plan announced Tuesday by Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher.

The township has prepared and submitted a letter to the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management requesting that the state of emergency declared for Hurricane Sandy be lifted and Ortley residents with all utilities in service at their properties be allowed to return home at 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 4. 

Read more on Toms River Patch.

Signs of Sea Bright Rising Above Sandy

Sea Bright  — It may still look dark and dismal in Sea Bright when night falls on the downtown strip of the small Hurricane Sandy-ravaged town, but there's a bright spirit that prevails.

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School student Charlotte Nagy — a Rumson teen who documented Sandy and got Train lead singer Pat Monahan to come to Sea Bright to sing and lift spirits — has produced a new video using Train's rendition of John Lennon's Imagine as background music.

Read more on Rumson-Fair Haven Patch.

Township Solicits Candidates for Public Safety Director

Lacey — Lacey Township has placed an advertisement with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities for a public safety director to lead the Police Department, although a decision has yet to be made regarding which direction the Committee will choose to replace retired Chief of Police William Nally, Mayor David Most said.

“We’re looking at options right now. We’re doing due diligence. We have the opportunity where a chief retired. We’ll use the vetting process, and we’ll do what’s good for Lacey Township,” Most said.

Read more on Lacey Patch.

K. Hov Townhome Pitch Ditched

Wall — An application to build nearly 200 homes on Route 34 at Allaire Road has been scuttled at the last minute, according to the planning office.

A division of K. Hovnanian Builders was scheduled to begin its pitch to the Board of Adjustment at Wednesday night's meeting, but the application was scrubbed from the agenda, the planning office said early afternoon Wednesday.

Read more on Wall Patch.

Freeholder Director's Daughter Pleads Guilty To Stealing $40,000 From Little Egg Harbor

Berkeley — Freeholder Director John P. Kelly's 30-year-old daughter has pleaded guilty to the theft of more than $40,000 during the time she worked in the tax assessor's office in Little Egg Harbor Township, the state Attorney General's Office said.

Dawn Marie Kelly, Eagleswood Township, made the admission when she pleaded guilty to an accusation of third-degree theft by unlawful taking on Dec. 14 before Ocean County Superior Court Judge James M. Blaney, said Rachel Goemaat, a spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office said today.

Read more on Berkeley Patch.

Fight Over Belmar Boardwalk Wood Not Worth Risking Memorial Day Reopening

Belmar — Belmar was motivated by a ticking clock and not environmentalists when it chose to drop rainforest timber as its boardwalk decking, Mayor Matt Doherty said.

The Sierra Club was prepared to fight over the use of ipe rainforest timber, saying the wood is harvested, causing great damage to rainforest ecosystems. Doherty said the borough was using timber that was certified as more environmentally sound, and that the company that harvested ipe was also reforesting the species there.

Read more on Manasquan-Belmar Patch. 

Point Boro Fights Fema Flood Map

Point Borough — The Point Borough Mayor, Council and Sandy-flooded residents are objecting to sections of a FEMA advisory map that puts them in a "V Zone" that calls for more stringent building requirements and higher flood insurance rates.

Mayor William Schroeder and council members told a room of about 100 people, most of whom have homes flooded by Sandy, at Tuesday night's meeting, that they are fighting the designation of sections of  Bay Head Shores, which is on Barnegat Bay, and a few other sections of town as being in the "V Zone."

Read more on Point Pleasant Patch.

RBR Teacher Receives Yale Educator Award

Little Silver — Jared Katzman, a freshman at Yale University, says he knew just who to nominate when he got an e-mail from the school last spring regarding its annual award for outstanding high school educators.

The Red Bank Regional grad nominated applied technology teacher Mandy Galante, with whom he spent four years getting to know in the classroom and while traveling to technology competitions. Along the way, Galante became a valuable mentor to her student whose advice he sought on everything from where to apply to school to what language to take studying abroad.

Read more on Little Silver-Oceanport Patch.

Manchester Residents Enraged Over 2013 Reassessments

Manchester — Several Manchester residents are frustrated that, in the 2013 reassessment, their home values dropped, but their taxes actually will rise in the third and fourth quarters this year - in some cases by more than $1,000.

Most of the residents in Manchester Township who do not live in senior communities will see an increase in taxes later this year, despite the fact that the values on their homes have actually dropped, according to Martin Lynch, the township's tax assessor.

Read more on Manchester Patch.

Exxon Objects to Proposed 7-Eleven at Red Bank Shell Station

Red Bank — A Red Bank gas station/convenience store will begin making a case next month in objection to the prospect of a neighboring gas station/convenience store expanding its services with a 7-Eleven.

Representatives from applicant 390 Red Bank LLC completed their testimony Thursday before the Zoning Board of Adjustment, which is considering whether to allow the Shell station at the corner of Newman Springs Road and Shrewsbury Avenue to knock down the exisiting market and build a 7-Eleven on site.

Read more on Red Bank-Shrewsbury Patch.

West End Synagogue Application Continues With No Resolution

Long Branch — The Long Branch Zoning Board of Adjustment continued to hear testimony for Chabad of Shore's application to build a synagogue and other space in West End on Monday night.

The application was heard for the first time since September, but no decision was made by the board, as there are still questions from the public, the attorney who is representing the West End business owners and the board.

Read more on Long Branch-Eatontown Patch.