Local News

St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick is urging safety out in the sun with a skin cancer event Friday

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:03:00 GMT

There may not be much summer-like weather in store this Memorial Day weekend - even at the Shore - but St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick is urging people to think about their skin - and not getting a tan - at a special event in New Brunswick today. "Don't Fry Day" is being held from 12 to 2:30 pm, and features the Derma Scan machine. Community Mobile Health Services Director Marge Drozd says it'll show where your skin is damaged from too much sun.
Drozd says there's no such thing as a "healthy-looking tan," adding that any time your skin gets darker, that's damage from the sun. Whenever you're in the sun for a prolonged period of time, she says adults should use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Children should use SPF 50 or higher.

Are Jersey Shore beaches in good shape for the summer season after Sandy?

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:30:00 GMT

     The rental market is appears strong. The boardwalks, arcades and restaurants will be open this Memorial Day weekend. But seven months after Sandy, will it be okay to go in the water this summer at the Jersey Shore? Everyone's crossing their fingers, as we hear from WCTC's Mike Pavlichko in his continuing series, "Summer at the Shore - After Sandy."
     Everyone saw the pictures of homes washed away by Superstorm Sandy, and of those that remained, their contents being swept out to sea or into the back bays. So where did all that stuff go? New Jersey DEP Spokesman Larry Hajna says state contractors have removed more than 30,000 cubic yards of debris from waterways since early March thorugh nearly every means possible, including sonar. "The municipalities have thoroughly raked the beaches," says Hajna. "They've evaluated them and took a lot of steps to make sure there's no debris on the beaches. We've been doing surveillance flights going up-and-down the coast."
   Hajna says it's still a good idea to exercise caution, noting any Nor'easter or more common big storm could wash debris up on the shore, not just debris from Sandy. Lindsay McNamara of the watchdog group New Jersey Clean Ocean Action says things will only get better. "I think as towns continue to clean up and clean out and rake their beaches and get volunteers out there, the conditions will improve," says McNamara. "The quality of the water is fairly clean, though, and will only get better with time."
     And a new poll out this week by the New Jersey AAA finds most people aren't worried about the water: 75% believe the Atlantic Ocean and the various bays are safe for swimming.

There will plenty of vacationers...

     Nobody really knew what to expect in the real estate market this summer. Some places didn't take too big a hit, others got socked. Dennis Iannacone - owner of Royal Sands Realty in Ortley Beach - says nearby Seaside Heights mainly saw residential damage limited to smaller cottages. "However, in Ortley Beach," says Iannacone, "it seems that Sandy had it in for that town. Right now out of the 60 units that I normally rent out, not one of them is available."
     With most of the damage up north, other places like Atlantic City, Ocean City, the Wildwoods and Cape May were generally spared serious damage from Sandy. But Chris Henderson - owner of her namesake real estate agency in Wildwood - says there are some wild misconceptions out there.
     "A lot of people, especially Canadians," says Henderson, "were under the impression that the entire Jersey Shore was destroyed. We were totally fine here. The water came up tot he bulkheads in Wildwood Crest but never came over. There was never any damage to any of the hotels, motels, condos, or anything."
   Some agents in the Wildwood and Ocean City area say they thought those communities would see greater demand since rentals in hard-hit area wouldn't be available. While that didn't materialize early on, some say there's more interest since many people have seen concrete evidence of the Shore's recovery. And generally, they say the price of rentals has not gone up, despite there being less housing stock to rent.

Here's a look at some other popular Jersey Shore destinations for Central Jerseyans:

Point Pleasant...

    "Restore the Shore" has been the slogan in New Jersey for the last several months since Superstorm Sandy hit, but as it turns out, they didn't have to do too much restoring in Point Pleasant. There, the hope is for a strong showing over the next couple of months, as WCTC's Mike Pavlichko found out in the second installment of his five-part series "Summer at the Shore -- After Sandy."
     While the Boardwalk at Seaside Heights and the amusement piers over the ocean looked like a war zone following Sandy, that wasn't the case in Point Pleasant. Though Mantoloking and Bay Head to the south suffered heavy residential damage, a much bigger beach area protected Point Pleasant. There was SOME boardwalk damage, but that's long been fixed. The one exception? Popular nightspot Martell's Tiki Bar... which was wiped out by the storm. Closed for two or three months, they eventually rebuilt. Manager Ed Brannagan says social media has helped spread the word that Martell's - and the rest of Point Pleasant - is open for business.
     "I would put pictures up of our rebuilding," says Brannagan, "and within a day I'd have two-, three-thousand comments on them, which gave me some good insight because people wanted to see this. They wanted to make sure we were going to be back. It was kind of an incentive to get everything done.
     Most of the boardwalk and amusements in Point Pleasant are owned by Jenkinson's. Spokeswoman Toby Wolf says with everything open - rides, restaurants, arcades, mini golf, and the aquarium - the main concern is what it is every year - the weather. "The weather determines every year," says Wolf. "No matter what we do, Mother Nature has us in her little grip.
     Wolf says if the season is off this year, it'll likely be because of the weather, AND the fact that the rental market is down, because many homes - mostly in neighboring towns like Mantoloking and Bay Head - were badly damaged.

Seaside Heights...

   Seaside Heights was the worst-hit resort down the Shore. The boardwalk was ripped up, and the Jet Star rollercoaster was sitting in the Atlantic Ocean. It's gone now, having been demolished last week. Mayor Bill Akers put on the brave face at first, but says he had major doubts Seaside would be ready for Memorial Day weekend. But, he says he soon realized, there was no other choice.
     "That's the only way they make their living," says Akers. "If they don't open their doors, they can't pay their bills. So, the incentive is great for them to be open. And I think they will meat those deadlines and be open the same as Seaside Heights will."
     Akers believes people will come. When the southern part of the boardwalk - the most popular part - opened a few weekends ago, he says thousands came to check it out. "I know they want to come here," says Akers, "but at the same time, we need the cooperation of the weather. And we need to do what we need to do, meaning that if we say we're going to be open, we need to be accountable to those dates and make sure that we are open."
   Akers estimates about 85% of businesses will be open this weekend. Although Casino Pier will only have about 15 rides, and those on Funtown Pier won't open until 2014, plenty of familiar faces remain: Breakwater Beach, Coin Castle, the Aztec Grille, and Lucky Leo's arcade. Leo's actually re-opened six weeks after Sandy, in December. All they had was a flooded basement. Manager Kelly Whalen says the more places that are open, the better for everyone.
     "Not even prentending for one minute that we're not rooting for every single business," says Whalen. "Beacsue being open by yourself was really cool for two weeks. And that was it."

Coming tomorrow, the series finale: a summary of what's open for business this weekend at the Shore.

A reward is being offered in the firebombing of an Edison police officer's home in Monroe

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:22:00 GMT

Middlesex County authorities are offering a $20,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for firebombing an Edison police officer's home in Monroe. Firefighters responded to the blaze in the two-story home on Arlene Drive belonging to police captain Mark Anderko early Monday. No one was injured. Authorities have not said what was used to start the fire. State Policemen's Benevolent Association President Anthony Wieners says the attack on the home and the officer's family is "unspeakable." Anyone with information should contact the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office 732-745-3300 or Middlesex County Crime Stoppers at 800-939-9600.

Human remains are found in Woodbridge near Raritan Center

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:18:00 GMT

Authorities are working to identify human remains that were found this week along the shoreline of the Raritan River at a central New Jersey industrial complex. Acting Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey says a surveyor working in the area of the Raritan Center complex in Woodbridge Township found the remains around 2 p.m. Monday. Authorities cordoned off the area and soon recovered the remains, which were taken to the county Medical Examiner's Office for an examination to establish an identity and possible cause of death. The investigation is ongoing, and further details on the discovery have not been disclosed.

New Jersey flags are at half-staff in honor of the Oklahoma tornado victims

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:07:00 GMT

Gov. Chris Christie has ordered flags at all New Jersey state buildings to be flown at half-staff to mourn of the victims of the deadly Oklahoma tornado and the devastation it caused. The flags will be lowered Wednesday. Christie issued the directive in an executive order announced Tuesday afternoon. Noting that New Jersey residents "have experienced firsthand the impact of natural disasters," a reference to Superstorm Sandy, Christie said he took the action to "show unity" with the people of Oklahoma and "mourn their losses."

The MVC has announced changes for renewals of handicap placards and license plates

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:26:00 GMT

Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Ray Martinez has announced changes aimed at making it easier for disabled people to find handicap parking spaces, doing so with local law enforcement Wednesday morning at Bridgewater Commons. The effort is aimed at cutting down on fraud, or at the very least, those who take advantage of the special parking privilege a little longer than they should. The change means those who currently re-apply every five years for a new wheelchair symbol placard or license plate will have to do so every three years starting August 1, getting re-certification from a qualified medical professional, and indicating the disability still exists. For those who already have the placards or plates, they won't need to renew until their expiration date, but will do it every three years after that. You can find out more at www.njmvc.gov.

WCTC is honored by "Keep Middlesex Moving"

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:04:00 GMT

WCTC has been honored amongst nearly three dozen Central Jersey businesses as a New Jersey Smart Workplace by "Keep Middlesex Moving." The station is recognized for its efforts in promoting carpooling, telecommuting, and other traffic and congestion-related options. The awards were presented Wednesday morning at a breakfast meeing at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe.

Authorities say a house fire in Monroe is a case of arson

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:08:00 GMT

Investigators say a fire that damaged a home in Monroe Township was deliberately set. Firefighters responded to the blaze in the two-story home on Arlene Drive early Monday. It was brought under control within 15 minutes and no one was injured. Officials are not releasing details of how the fire was set. No arrests have been made.

Lavallette opens its rebuilt boardwalk six months after Superstorm Sandy

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:10:00 GMT

One by one, the Jersey shore's boardwalks are springing back to life. It was Lavallette's turn on Monday. The small Ocean County town sits near some of the worst damage from Superstorm Sandy, yet it managed to escape with lesser damage than its neighbors. Gov. Chris Christie joined borough officials in a ceremony to reopen the 1.1-mile walkway, which cost $1.3 million to rebuild. Mayor Walter LoCicero says it's an inspiration to other areas that communities can rebound from devastating blows. Christie is to attend a similar ceremony on Wednesday for Belmar's recently completed boardwalk. The governor says the Jersey shore is ready for the unofficial start of summer this weekend.

The Assembly gives final passage to three gun bills

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:06:00 GMT

The Assembly has given final passage to three gun-control bills, sending them to Gov. Chris Christie for his signature. The bills are the first to clear both chambers of the state Legislature out of several that were introduced after the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., last year that killed 20 children. The bills passed Monday would create a task force to look into school security, mandate the disposal of unlawful weapons and require more sharing of firearms information among law enforcement agencies. A fourth bill that would require certain mental health records to be submitted for background checks for those seeking gun permits was also passed after it was amended. It's being sent back to the state Senate for approval.