Escaped psychiatric hospital patient found, police say

EWING — The Trenton Psychiatric Hospital patient who escaped the facility Saturday has been located, Ewing police said Sunday evening. Tyrik Haynes, 22, was located by state Human Services police officers, Ewing police posted on social media at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday. “Due to the ongoing investigation by Human Services Police, they did not provide much… Read the rest of this entry »

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County combats West Nile Virus in Atlantic Highlands, Middletown, Lake Como, West Belmar and Spring Lake

Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso

Monmouth County’s Mosquito Control Department has discovered evidence of the West Nile Virus in Atlantic Highlands and the Hillside section of Middletown.

Residential streets in Atlantic Highlands east of First Avenue to Sears Avenue and north to E. Washington Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, and from Portland Avenue to Grand Avenue north of Hillside Avenue in the Hillside section of Middletown will be ground sprayed on Tuesday morning July 26 from 4 a.m. till 6 a.m., weather permitting, according to an announcement by Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso.

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Middletown Named 5th Safest Town To Raise Children

Middletown Township has been named the safest town in New Jersey and the 5th safest in the nation to raise a child, according to Safewise, a security and safety website, in their recent The 30 Safest Cities to Raise a Child-2016 report.

“Our ranking as one of the top five places in the United States to raise a child once again affirms our assertion that Middletown is a great place to live,” said Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger. “The accolade is concrete evidence that the township’s police department and its school district continue to be among the absolute best in the nation.”

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Monmouth County Launches Flooding Awareness Program

John Szeliga, Verizon; Middletown Mayor Gerald Scharfenberger; Monmouth County Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso; Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden; Capt. Jay Steingold of Naval Weapons Station Earle; FEMA Region II Administrator Michael Moriarty and Tony MacDonald Director of the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute.

A countywide collaboration with Monmouth County’s government, FEMA, Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute, New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, National Park Service, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve at Rutgers University, Navy Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Verizon designed to raise the public’s awareness of flood risks and to encourage the mitigation of those risks was launched this morning in Middletown with the installation of a High Water Mark (HWM) sign at the Belford Ferry Terminal.

FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program’s High Water Mark awareness program gives participating municipalities Community Rating System (CRS) points which result in residents of the community getting a break on their flood insurance premiums.

Municipal participation is voluntary and there is no cost to the towns for participating.

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Middletown Con Man Pleads Guilty Financial Frauds

Christopher D. Biello. photo via facebook

Christopher D. Biello, 43, of Coe Place in Middletown, who also uses the alias Christopher Sherman, pleaded guilty to one count of second degree Theft by Deception, seven counts of third degree Theft by Deception, three counts of third degree Impersonation, four counts of third degree Bad Checks, two counts of third degree Theft, one count of fourth degree Forgery, one count of third degree Theft of Services, and one count of third degree Fraudulent Use of Credit Card in Judge Joseph W. Oxley’s Court on Friday, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Biello admitted he deceived and impersonated clients, obtained numerous credit cards in his victims’ names, engaged in fraudulent loan attempts using the victims’ identities and forged documents.

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Middletown Man hospitalized after sting from clinging jellyfish in Shrewsbury River

MONMOUTH BEACH — The week after a specimen was discovered in Barnegat Bay, three more clinging jellyfish have been discovered in the Shrewsbury River, the Monmouth Beach Office of Emergency Management said in an alert Wednesday. In its alert, the OEM said the dime-sized samples were believed to be the jellyfish, which are native to the… Read the rest of this entry »

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Circus Camel Escapes In Middletown

Heidi the prodigal camel

North Middletown- A female camel escaped from St. Catherine’s Church on Monday. The camel, Heidi, is not left over from the parish’s nativity scene.  She is a featured performer in the circus that St. Catherine’s is hosting tonight, Tuesday, May 24.

Heidi escaped while the circus staff was setting up the tent for tonight’s festivities, according to church secretary Kathy Toomey.

“The camel took a stroll down Bray Avenue dragging her tether and chain behind her,” Toomey said.  Residents of Bray Avenue laughed and said they were unaware of the incident when MMM asked them about it.

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Middletown Hit and Run Driver Indicted

Toni Marletta
photo via facebook

Toni Ann Marletta, the Leonardo woman accused of the hit and run accident that resulted in the death of 15 year old Marissa Procopio last July 8, was indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury on Monday, May 16, according to a copy of the indictment released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Marletta stands charged of one count of Knowingly Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident which resulted in a death, a Second Degree Crime, two counts of Third Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child and one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  The Third Degree Endangering Charges are related to the children who were passengers in the car driven by Marletta when it struck and killed Procopio.  The Second Degree Endangering Charge is related to the deceased teenager, Procopio.

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Middletown Police to hold Child Safety Checkpoint on Friday, May 13

The Middletown Police Department will hold a Child Safety Checkpoint on Friday, May 13^th from 3pm to 7pm inside Old Village Firehouse, located at 1340 Route 35.

Police officers trained as child passenger safety technicians will assist motorists with proper child safety seat installation as well as proper positioning and harnessing of a child. No appointment is necessary. The checkpoint is free and open to the public. Please remember state law requires that all children below 8 years old or less than 80 lbs. in weight must be seated in a child restraint system.

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Scharfenberger Honored By Vets

Township Committee Declares May Buddy Poppy Month

Middletown, NJ-Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, PhD was honored last week by VFW Post 2179 for his ongoing and steadfast support of the military veterans of the Township.

Post Commander Will Purcell recognized Mayor Scharfenberger at the April Township Committee meeting. In attendance were veterans and members of the Ladies Auxiliary. They thanked the mayor for his continued support of and dedication to veterans. Purcell also thanked Mayor Scharfenberger for his attendance at all of their ceremonies and remembrances over the years.

“We are forever indebted to our veterans for their sacrifice, service and valor,” said Mayor Scharfenberger. “They are brave soldiers who put their lives on the line to defend our country and protect our way of life.”

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