Thursday December 8 News Updates Lakewood

Weather: 54° Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 54F. 

- Number of Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 reaches 38,566, the highest in 3.5 months

- Please Daven for Levi Ahron ben Chaya, 15-year-old Bochur stabbed at a Yeshiva on Cross Street. The incident was apparently the result of a fight.(Kol Haolam) update: the boy had a  ruptured lung, which, doctors say, will iy”H heal with time.(Matzav)

- Lakewood Township voted tonight to approve the banquet hall ordinance  by 3 votes out of 5 as Committeeman Issac Akerman abstained due  to a conflict of interest as his childrwn attend a school  that would benefit and Mike delia was not present. Coles Lichtenstein Miller voted yes. Committeemen Miller and Lichtenstein had their cameras turned off for the zoom meeting but participated in the meeting vocally with audio. Many residents called in and sent emails about the ordinance such as noise and other issues besides parking. The board voted to not allow it in residential zones. Faanews reports a lawyer for a client currently suing Lake Terrace and Bnos Brocha over the current illegality of their simcha halls, addressed the Committee, placing on the record that he is objecting to the adoption of this ordinance and that he will definitely attempt to void the ordinance in Court. Township clerk and attorney did not let members of the public go over the 4 minute time limit to speak.

-  AccuWeather says rain and snow is possible in North Jersey from Sunday night into Monday morning.yol

-FDA approves unpopular bivalent Covid shot for Babies and 'encourages parents to get their child vaccinated before the holidays' Children aged six months to four years will get bivalent as their third mini dose

- Donald Trump and Donald Jr. react to the BIden prisoner swap with Russia. "You guys know how to make sure Putin keeps arresting Americans and severely punishing them? Trade him an arms dealer aka “The Merchant of Death” someone guilty of conspiring to kill Americans and aiding a terrorist organization for an America Hating WNBA activist. Great trade!"

- Shame: The U.S. House of Representatives gave final approval Thursday to a bill that protects same-gender toeva and interracial marriages. The measure, which passed 258-169, now heads to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law. The legislation repeals the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that defines marriage as between a man and a woman under federal law. It would also require states to recognize same-gender and interracial marriages performed in other states, although it does not prevent states from passing laws banning those marriages. Still, most Republicans opposed the legislation and some conservative advocacy groups lobbied aggressively against it in recent weeks, arguing that it doesn’t do enough to protect those who want to refuse services for same-gender couples. “God’s perfect design is indeed marriage between one man and one woman for life,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va, ahead of the vote. “And it doesn’t matter what you think or what I think, that’s what the Bible says.”Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., choked up as she begged colleagues to vote against the bill, which she said undermines “natural marriage” between a man and a woman.“I’ll tell you my priorities “Protect religious liberty, protect people of faith and protect Americans who believe in the true meaning of marriage.”

- Lakewood township committee meeting today 5:30 pm watch live stream Here see Agenda Here. Township will vote to adopt the Banquet hall ordnance Members of the public who wish to comment can send a email up until 11:30 am at premeetingcomments@lakewoodnj.gov or during the meeting via comments@lakewoodnj.gov  Please include your name and address for the record. Members of the public may also comment live during the meeting on the phone by calling (408) 418-9388, Meeting ID# is 2634-502-0366 and to speak dial *3

On the agenda :- Lakewood fire commissioners will be receiving $6000 compensation annually for each member. the to will vote on a resolution  by the meeting

-   Township to  ban unauthorized towers from responding to crashes, and to permit them to respond only to disabled vehicle scenes.

- Grand opening today for the new ALDI store in Brick located at 780 rt 70 Brick, NJ at the newly developed Market Place at Forge Pond a little past the shop Rite at the intersection of Brick Blvd. The old location on Van Zile rd has closed. The store has self checkout kiosks

- Meon Bais Yaakov high school will celebrate a chanukas habayis on completion of their new building located at 550 James street behind Bnos Melech

- Masa Umatan rental list at 9 pages long average price for apt is $2000 see list here

- Satmar B"M in Lakewood under the leadership of the rebbe Rav Aaron Teitelbaum will host a Melava Malka this Motzei shabbos to celebrate the Yom Hatzalah of Kuf aleph Kislev at the B"M located at 608 E. County Line Blvd guest speaker: the rebbes  son from Williamsburg,.

- Chabad will be hosting a Yat Kislev  meleva Malka this week at Bnos Devorah this Motzei shabbos guest speaker Rav Ben Zion Twerski from Milwaukee 

- After 5000 car crashes this year with 10 Fatalities and 132 Pedestrian struck on Lakewood roads, the mayor blames it on bad drivers and proposes more education on safety to young drivers and calls for more enforcement. No mention of upgrading infrastructure or other factors that contributed to the traffic and dangerous roadways was made.

- APP reports on Lakewood proposed banquet hall ordnance tonight: The draft ordinance requires one parking space per every 100 square feet. That is 45 parking spots for a venue the size a basketball court, which typically hosts about 550 guests. With schools present in 97% of Lakewood zones, allowing banquet halls in all schools will be detrimental to the township, said Robert C. Shea, an attorney contesting the ordinance who represents clients from Lakewood’s Industrial Park.(APP)

- Lakewood township will install at traffic light at the intersection of Park Ave and 7th street a contract in the amount of  $652,653.50. was awarded as a lowest bid to begin construction.