Today’s announcement makes it easier and more convenient than ever for New Jersey residents to take an active role in the fight against the nationwide epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Members of the public are invited to come in and use the Project Medicine Drop sites 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, to dispose of their unused and expired prescription medications.

“Project Medicine Drop is succeeding as part of our effort to help get unused prescription medications away from those who might abuse them – and to encourage families to think differently about the drugs in their medicine cabinets,” Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said.  “We also are expanding our fight against prescription drug abuse to include a greater level of outreach and education, along with the traditional components of investigation and enforcement.”

The Division of Consumer Affairs this month completed the installation of 13 Project Medicine Drop boxes that have been added across New Jersey since the end of 2012.  The full list of 40 locations statewide can be found at the Division’s Project Medicine Drop website.

The 13 newest locations are:

• Bergen County – River Vale Police Department
• Burlington County – Burlington Township Police Department
• Camden County – Haddon Heights Police Department
• Cape May County – Stone Harbor Police Department
• Middlesex County – Perth Amboy Police Department
• Middlesex County – Sayreville Police Department
• Ocean County – Lacey Township Police Department
• Somerset County – Bernards Township Police Department
• Sussex County – Hopatcong Police Department
• Sussex County – Sparta Township Police Department
• Sussex County  – Vernon Township Police Department
• Union County – Elizabeth Police Department
• Warren County – Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Belvidere

“The prescription drug abuse epidemic is fueled by the mistaken belief that it is safe to abuse certain Controlled Dangerous Substances just because they can be prescribed as medicine,” Eric T. Kanefsky, Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.  “Nothing could be further from the truth. Opioid painkillers are chemically similar to heroin – and, if taken to get high, can be just as addictive and just as deadly.”

Attorney General Chiesa and Acting Director Kanefsky noted the Division is developing a prescription drug abuse education and awareness campaign, which will be funded by a recent $650,000 settlement payment from CVS-Caremark.

The Project Medicine Drop boxes are lockable, metal containers, resembling mailboxes and installed at select New Jersey police departments, sheriff’s offices, and State Police barracks. The boxes enable consumers to drop off their unused or excess medications safely and securely, with law enforcement agencies authorized to take custody of controlled dangerous substances.

The program helps keep prescription drugs from falling into the hands of those who might make them available for abuse, and prevents them from being flushed into the water supply or thrown into the trash where they could contaminate the environment.

In a partnership endorsed by the State Department of Environmental Protection, Morristown-based Covanta Energy, a nationwide operator of energy-from-waste and renewable energy facilities, has agreed to destroy the medications at no cost to taxpayers, thus potentially saving the police departments thousands of dollars per year.

Consumers dropped off approximately 1,600 pounds of unused medications at the available Project Medicine Drop boxes during the first quarter of 2013.  During all of 2012, consumers dropped off a total of approximately 6,500 pounds of unused medications at the available Project Medicine Drop locations.

For much more information on the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs’ initiative to halt the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs, view the Division’s NJPMP website, and the Division’s Project Medicine Drop website.

Follow the Division of Consumer Affairs on Facebook, and check our online calendar of upcoming Consumer Outreach events.

In particular, the new School Performance Reports seek to:

• Focus attention on metrics that are indicative of college and career readiness.
• Benchmark a school’s performance against other peer schools that are educating similar students, against statewide outcomes, and against state targets to illuminate and build upon a school’s strengths and identify areas for improvement.
• Improve educational outcomes for students by providing both longitudinal and growth data so that progress can be measured as part of an individual school’s efforts to engage in continuous improvement.

TOMS RIVER REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

BEACHWOOD ELEM
CEDAR GROVE ELEM
EAST DOVER ELEM
HOOPER AVE ELEM
JOSEPH A CITTA ELEM
NORTH DOVER ELEM
PINE BEACH ELEM
SILVER BAY ELEMENTARY
SOUTH TOMS RIVER ELEM
TOMS RIVER HIGH EAST
TOMS RIVER HIGH NORTH
TOMS RIVER HIGH SOUTH
TOMS RIVER INTERMEDIATE E
TOMS RIVER INTERMEDIATE N
TOMS RIVER INTERMEDIATE S
WALNUT STREET ELEM
WASHINGTON ST ELEM
WEST DOVER ELEM

JACKSON TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

CARL W GOETZ MIDDLE SCH
CHRISTA MCAULIFFE MID SCH
CRAWFORD RODRIGUEZ ELEM
ELMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HOWARD C JOHNSON ELEM
JACKSON LIBERTY HIGH
JACKSON MEMORIAL HIGH
LUCY N HOLMAN ELEM
SWITLIK ELEM
SYLVIA ROSENAUER ELEM

BRICK TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

BRICK COMM PRIM LEARN CTR
BRICK TWP HIGH
BRICK TWP MEMORIAL HIGH
DRUM POINT ROAD ELEM
EMMA HAVENS YOUNG ELEM
HERBERTSVILLE ELEM
LAKE RIVIERA MIDDLE
LANES MILL ELEM
MIDSTREAMS ELEM
OSBORNVILLE ELEM
VETERANS MEM ELEM
VETERANS MEM MIDDLE SCH

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

BAYVILLE ELEM
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP ES
CLARA B WORTH ELEM
H & M POTTER ELEM

CENTRAL REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

CENTRAL REGIONAL HIGH
CENTRAL REGIONAL MIDDLE

Brittany Biele scored two goals for Lacey while Holly Brewster, Maura Weaver and Rebecca Martin each scored once.

Nicole Mickendrow scored a team-high three goals for Jackson Liberty. Carina Legotte scored twice and Alex Havens scored once in their team’s loss.

113: #9 Chris Crane (Southern) md. #8 Connor Maliff (Brick Mem)  11-0
113: #5 Ben Mrozinski (Lacey) d. #12 Zack Baker (Jackson Mem)  4-0
113: #3 Nick DePierro (Freehold Twp) md. #14 Tommy Flannigan (Long Branch)  12-0
113: #7 Nasiyr Brown (Neptune) d. #10 Costa Poniros (Ocean Twp)  9-2

120: #8 Joseph Santamarco (Manalapan) d. #9 Connor Garrity (Lacey)  8-3
120: #4 Matt Russo (Jackson Liberty) d. Andy Hernandez (Long Branch)  3-1
120: #7 Dylan Seidenberg (Raritan) d. #10 Josh Glantzman (Wall)  2-1 2OT
120: #2 Dan Nobbs (Pt Boro) p. #15 Yospeh Boral (TR East)  2:57

126: #5 Anthony Scarcella (Raritan) md. #12 Khalil Haskins (Matawan)  13-1
126: #4 Marcus Iwama (Rumson) p. #13 Isaiah Haymon (Neptune)  4:21
126: #7 Andrew Tonneson (Southern) p. #10 Pete Powell (Marlboro)  5:50
126: #2 Jared Staub (Brick Mem) d. #15 Thomas Poklikuha (Pinelands)  5-2

132: #9 Dan Saraiva (Marlboro) d. #8 William Rodriguez (Matawan)  7-2
132: #4 Zach Hertling (Ocean Twp) d. #13 Joe Mandara (Barnegat)  6-0
132: #6 Ryan Harter (Pt Boro) d. #11 Nick Menkin (Long Branch)  5-4
132: #2 Kyle Wojtaszek (Brick Twp) d. #15 Ryan Davis (TR North)  9-2

138: #9 Christian Casselli (CBA) d. #8 Tim Leo (Matawan)  7-6
138: #5 Jake Camapana (Southern) p. #12 Carlos Fontanez (Keansburg)  1:29
138: #4 Steve Cimmino (Brick Twp) p. #13 Andrew Garrity (Lacey)  1:25
138: #10 Dan Kinsella (Wall) d. #7 Jack Rada (Howell)

145: #9 Nick Racanelli (Southern) d. #8 Sam Koenig (Shore)  3-0
145: #12 Matt Best (Middletown South) p. #5 Orion Rovegno (Ocean Twp)  5:45
145: #3 Spencer Young (Jackson Mem) p. #14 Steve Knapp (Lacey)  2:22
145: #10 Terrence Davis (St John Vianney) d. #7 Nick Pollara (Brick Twp)  7-5

152: #8 Dylan DaSilva (TR North) d. #9 Garrett Applegate (TR South)  6-4
152: #5 Jake George (Long Branch) tf. #12 Evan Brown (Red Bank)  15-0
152: #7 William Scott (Brick Twp) d. #10 Jake Kaminsky (Manalapan)  5-4
152: #2 Cliff Ruggiero (Brick Mem) p. #15 Jeff Goldrosen (Marlboro)  5:20

160: #8 Joe Beverly (Brick Mem) d. #9 Sean Rembach (Manchester)  8-4
160: #5 Antres Clagon (TR South) tf. #12 Steven Chandler (Manalapan)  16-1
160: #3 Anthony Ferraro (St John Vianney) d. #14 Jason Lawhon (Ocean Twp)  5-2
160: #7 Connor Sheehan (Raritan) d. #10 Jose Caraballo (Neptune)  7-4

170: #1 Tyler Richardson (Brick Mem) p. #16 Chris Cruz (Jackson Liberty)  2:45
170: #9 Ryan Kirk (Barnegat) d. #8 Anthony Benedetti (Manalapan)  7-3
170: #6 Kyle Lynch (Raritan) d. #11 Dan Baillie (Shore)  5-0
170: #7 Tyler Wilton (Middletown North) d. #10 Tyler MacLaine (TR North)

182: #8 Tommy Lyster (Ocean Twp) md. Quentin DeCarlo (TR South)  10-2
182: #6 Drew Donner (Wall) p. #11 Spencer Govel (Manasquan)  3:05
182: #7 Anthony Fabiano (Middletown North) p. #10 Muhab Elgamal (Manalapan)  1:42
182: #2 Glenn Cross (Matawan) tf. #15 Greg Schmalz (Barnegat)  18-3

195: #5 Chad Freshnock (Middletown North) d. #12 Tyler Romanelli (Wall)  2-1
195: #4 Shawn McCord (RBC) md. #13 Nick Dzuna (Pt Boro)  11-3
195: #6 Dan Hwang (Marlboro) p. #11 Josh Foca (Central)  1:49
195: #7 Ben Aquilina (Manalapan) d. #10 Armando Leonor (TR East)  6-3

220: #5 Jesse Bauta (Southern) p. #12 Mike McKenzie (Jackson Liberty)  2:30
220: #3 John Seidle (Neptune) p. #14 Tyler Tomanek (Middletown South)  3:42
220: #6 Matt Frigon (Barnegat) d. #11 Luke Becker (Manalapan)  5-3
220: #7 Joey Guidetti (Long Branch) d. #10 Anthony Dzugan (Brick Twp)  8-4 2OT

Hwt: #8 Ezra Figueroa (Brick Mem) d. #9 Thomas D’Amore (Pt Beach)  3-2
Hwt: #5 Hunter Gellman (Freehold Twp) d. #12 Dan Arias (Ocean Twp)  5-1
Hwt: #3 Anthony Fernicola (Holmdel) d. #14 Zach Andrews (Barnegat)  1-0
Hwt: #15 Atanacio Carrillo (Central) d. #2 Pat Toal (Raritan)  5-2

NEPTUNE – The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties launched a free income tax assistance program aimed at helping low and moderate income workers maximize their tax benefits.

The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) will be offered at six sites, three in Monmouth County and three in Ocean County, throughout the tax season. IRS-certified tax professionals will help filers complete their state and federal returns.

“The FoodBank’s mission is to build food secure communities in Monmouth and Ocean Counties,” says Carlos M. Rodriguez, executive director of the organization. “As The FoodBank works toward more comprehensive solutions to hunger in our communities, connecting  low-income families with tax credits, SNAP and other benefits  will provide an opportunity to save and strengthen their families financial health. Ultimately, The FoodBank wants people to shop in our local stores for the food they need and make the purchasing decisions that are right for their families.”

To qualify for free tax assistance, households with dependents must earn $51,000 or less, and households with no dependents must earn $30,000 or less.

FoodBank representatives and volunteers will ensure that filers who are eligible will receive important tax credits that they are entitled to, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). In addition, The FoodBank team will connect people with other critical benefits such as SNAP (food stamps), legal assistance, Hurricane Sandy-related aid and emergency food, if needed.

“The EITC is one of the largest and most successful anti-poverty programs in history,” says Mr. Rodriguez. “EITC has a proven track record of lifting families out of poverty, putting as much as $5,000 back into the pockets of working families who are living on the edges of poverty. This will not only help families, it will put money back into the local economy at a time when businesses are struggling to recover after Hurricane Sandy.”

The FoodBank’s VITA program is run in partnership with the IRS, Cowan, Gunteski & Co, PA, and the host sites, and is supported by the Robin Hood Foundation and Singlestop USA.

VITA is available at the following sites beginning in late January through April 15:

Ocean County:

• Ocean County Library, 101 Washington St., Toms River (Monday & Wednesday 4 – 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
• Berkeley Head Start, 264 First St., South Toms River (Tuesday 4 – 8 p.m.)
• Lakewood Library, 301 Lexington Ave., Lakewood (Tuesday & Thursday 4 – 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.)

Monmouth County:

• SCAN Adult Education Center, Monmouth Mall, Eatontown (Monday & Thursday 4 – 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Lunch Break, 103 Drs. James Parker Blvd., Red Bank (Tuesday & Thursday 1- 4 p.m.)
• Hispanic Affairs, 913 Sewall Ave., Asbury Park (Monday & Wednesday 4 – 8 p.m.)

Filers should bring all required documents including a valid photo ID; copies of previous returns; all income statements including W-2, Social Security and unemployment income; 1099 forms, birth dates and Social Security numbers for all dependents and a check showing a Bank Routing Number for direct deposit, if applicable.

For more information, call The FoodBank, 732-918-2600 or visit www.foodbankmoc.org.

About The Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties
The FoodBank’s mission is to alleviate hunger and build food security in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties distributes approximately 7 million pounds annually through a network of 260 feeding programs, such as soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters. One out of every ten people living in Monmouth and Ocean Counties receives food from the FoodBank. Since Super Storm Sandy struck the Jersey Shore on October 29, 2012 The FoodBank has been actively involved in the work to bring relief and comfort to the communities it serves. Working with relief agencies, government programs and others involved in the recovery effort The FoodBank distributed food for approximately 1 million meals in the first month following the storm. For more information, visit www.foodbankmoc.org.

Photo Vincent Dellefave, courtesy Rutgers University.

EAST BRUNSWICK—Two-time New Jersey state wrestling champion and Toms River High School East graduate Vincent Dellefave, now a junior at Rutgers University was named the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Wrestler of the Week after the Scarlet Knights’ 18-16 win over 14^th ranked Bloomsburg.

This season, Rutgers is 15-2 with a lineup that includes senior Scott Winston and sophomore Doug Hamann from Jackson Memorial, freshman Lex Knapp from Lacey High School, freshman Ken Theobold from Toms River South in addition to Dellefave.

By Phil Stilton

RAHWAY–Children across the tri-state area whose local playgrounds were destroyed by the forces of Hurricane Sandy last October may soon be able to return to those jungle gyms, swingsets and monkey bars if Bill Lavin, president of the New Jersey Firefighters’ Mutual Benevolent Association [NJFMBA], has anything to say about it.

His organization, which is now gearing up to begin fundraising and rebuilding efforts for coastal play areas here, was originally dispatched to reconstruct playgrounds in affected coastal communities along the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in 2006 in a project called “Pennies for Playgrounds.”

One of those playgrounds was at the North Bay Elementary School in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where the NJFMBA and approximately 20 firefighters traveled from New Jersey for the effort, which was undertaken in partnership with Save the Children and Mercy Corps. The NJFMBA also raised $400,000 for Save the Children’s after school and child care activity programs there.

“We were blown away that people were still living in tents and children were going to school in trailers,” said Mr. Lavin, recalling a visit to the region at the time. “But when we asked the children what they really needed, they all said a playground.”

Following Hurricane Sandy along the Atlantic coastlines, Mr. Lavin said he learned that the Katrina-affected communities of Waveland and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, “were collecting Christmas gifts for New Jersey children affected by the storm in an effort to pay it forward to those who had showed such kindness to them in their hour of need.”

“The gesture from Mississippi was an absolute spiritual shot in the arm for the NJFMBA and the hundreds of members who had been serving the coastal communities in New Jersey for the past six weeks in every capacity imaginable,” said the organization’s president. “Unfortunately, just as our members and their families were starting to get their second wind and make some sense out of the Jersey disaster, the unspeakable massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut was reported to the country.”

As a result, the NJFMBA called the new effort “The Sandy Project: Where Angels Play,” and include raising enough money to build 26 memorial playgrounds dedicated to each of the 20 children and six teachers slain in that school shooting.

“Perhaps each playground can reflect the personality of the teacher or child for whom it would be named,” said Mr. Lavin, noting that the work would be undertaken by police officers, firefighters, teachers and volunteers.

The fundraising goal to accomplish this mission has been set at $2 million and so far, according to Mary Kate Lavin, New Jersey playgrounds to will be rebuilt in Sea Bright, Union Beach, Highlands, Normandy Beach, Belmar and Point Pleasant. Others in New York and Connecticut were also named.

Anyone interested in donating or volunteering may visit the NJFMBA website at www.njfmba.org.

Playground built in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi by the NJFMBA. Photo by NJFMBA.

District 18 Little League baseball game played at Joe Carter Stadium, Manchester in June of 2012. Photo by Phil Stilton / Ocean Signal Media Group.

by Phil Stilton

MANCHESTER - There’s good news for Little League baseball players in Ocean and Monmouth counties today as Manchester Little League has announced the expansion of their popular Mason Invitational Tournament (MIT) in 2013.

Here’s how it works: Ocean County’s Little League teams play baseball within New Jersey’s District 18. Each year, chosen players from each league in the district form all-star teams.  Those teams compete in a summer tournament and the winners of the district then go on to the sectionals, then state and regional tournaments. What starts in towns across the country as local district tournaments culminates in places like Williamsport, Pennsylvania where the 12-year-old division plays the Little League World Series, or Taylor, Michigan where the older Juniors League players vie for a world championship.

For kids who do not make the all-star teams, their Little League season ends in June. Since 2009, the Mason Invitational Tournament has given those kids a chance to experience the thrill of being an all-star when the Manchester Little League began hosting the MIT. Leagues field “B” teams to play in the tournament. Players cannot play on both the District All-Star team and the MIT team for their league.   The MIT has become a popular under card event in recent years for Ocean County, and while it is expected that the best players in the league play for the All-Star teams, sometimes things don’t always work out that way. There are only 14 spots on each league’s all-star team selection, which for the most part is arbitrary and at the discretion of local league officials.

Manchester Mayor Michael Fressola said in a statement this week, “In 2013, Manchester’s MIT tournament will include District 11, lower Monmouth County, and have a Shore championship. In 2014, they are planning to expand the MIT even further, hoping to include areas like upper Monmouth County, Trenton and Clark. Manchester league officials believe that by 2015, they will be able to expand statewide and offer the experience of the MIT tournament to all 307 Little Leagues from Warren County to Cape May.”

Manchester’s Joe Carter Stadium is the focal point of the tournament and while not all games are played at the field, it is the annual host of the MIT finals and the field has been the host of past District 18 championships.

Joe Carter Stadium was built in the 2011-12 off season and opened on March 31, 2012. The stadium is unique in its design with elements of three Major League Baseball Stadiums built into it, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium. The left field wall has a “Green Monster”, inspired by Fenway Park, a synthetic brick brick wall along in right field, inspired by Wrigley Field and a monument park with facade, inspired by Yankee Stadium. The field was built at a cost of $100,000.

The Mason Invitational Tournament is named after Gary Mason, a former Manchester Little League coach  of 23 years who guided his team to the District 18 title in 1992.

For five years, the Ocean Signal, as JTOWN & Toms River Magazine has provided the only daily news coverage of District 18 Little League baseball.  You can our read past District 18 coverage here.

By Phil Stilton

SEASIDE HEIGHTS – Governor Chris Christie announced Thursday during a press conference in the engine bay of the Seaside Heights Volunteer Fire Company, here, his plan to begin the cleanup of New Jersey’s waterways affected by Hurricane Sandy. In particular, he addressed the Barnegat Bay, where a sizable portion of an estimated 1,440 sunken vessels lie beneath the surface of the water.

The governor said the state will split the state into three regions – north, central and south – and will award bids to companies in each of those regions.

“The amount of debris that needs to be removed is mind boggling,” he remarked. “In Mantoloking alone, 58 buildings were washed into bay with 88 cars. There’s a lot of stuff down there, not to the mention all of the sediment washed from the beaches into the Barnegat Bay.

Gov. Christie said cleanup will consist of two phases. In the first phase, debris will be removed from the water, followed by the dredging of sediment that was brought in by Sandy’s tidal surge that swept across the barrier island at a depth of nearly twelve feet in some areas, according to prior eyewitness reports conducted by the Ocean Signal.

“We should have an announcement on Saturday and the companies will get right to work,” he continued. “We had about 10 million cubic yards of debris on land and we’ve removed a good portion of that already. That work will continue as well and now we’ll move into the waterways so hopefully we can have somewhat navigable Barnegat Bay in the summer. ”

Gov. Christie said that portions of the bay will have restricted access during the debris removal process. It was decided to use three companies for the project as a means to expedite the cleanup process, adding that contracts should be awarded this weekend and pending attorney and legal review, crews could be cleaning the waterways in the very near future.

In Ocean County, five communities saw property tax decreases, including Ocean Gate, Ocean Township, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars and Surf City.    On the opposite end of the chart, beach communities of Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head and Long beach led the county in tax increases in 2012.

Of the larger townships, Lacey and Manchester each had an increase of 3.30%.

The county average tax bill in 2012 was $6,138, well below the state average of  $7,870.28.

Stafford Township, Brick Township and Jackson Township represented three larger township which kept their tax increases under 1%.   In Jackson the township tax increase was .4%.

Source: Star Ledger http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/01/nj_property_taxes_rise_slightl.html#incart_m-rpt-1