Wednesday November 22 News Updates Lakewood

 Weather: 60° Considerable cloudiness. Slight chance of a rain shower

- Bais Faiga and other schools including playgroups that follow that schedule will have no school tomorrow. Others will not have transportation to or from school due to Thanksgiving.

- SCHI: Alleging that state prosecutors deliberately committed a second Brady violation, attorneys representing Lakewood Rabbi Osher Eisemann are seeking a dismissal of a seven-year-old indictment. Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone determined that embattled Deputy Attorney General John Nicodemo intentionally withheld crucial evidence and disregarded a court rule requiring prosecutors to disclose important information in the government’s possession to the defendant’s lawyers. Nicodemo knew that there was evidence that could exonerate Eisemann more than a year before the trial, but chose to keep that secret, court records show.  Instead, Eisemann’s attorney claims, he ”misled the jury twice.” Paone ordered a new trial.

In a brief filed earlier today, Eisemann’s lawyer, Lee Vartan, said the indictment should be dismissed “based on the State’s intentional decision to withhold material exculpatory evidence from the defense not once, but twice.”(NJGlobe) 

- Artscroll book coming soon "Rav Nota" The Story of Rav Nota Greenblatt – Champion of Torah Judaism By Shmuel Botnick (Author)

- Update: Car erupted into a fireball after crashing into wall at high speed. Authorities say not terror related,driver may have suffered medical episodes 

Explosion on the New York-Canada border on the rainbow bridge in Niagara Falls was caused by a car bomb, according to Fox News

- Busiest travel day of the year today ahead of Thanksgiving 

- Car rally for Palestine today on the NJ turnpike from exit 8 north to Vince Lombardi rest stop 2:30pm

- Following the theft this past shabbos of a home in Toms River community members are discussing the option to start a shemira org as the PD has not been that much of a help

- Crema cafe opening in Tom River  

- Fundraiser launched to help family following the petirah of Hayeled Nathan Smadja Z"L of Toms River after suffering a medical episode the family recently moved to Toms River from France  donate HERE 

- The median teacher pay in New Jersey rose 5.1% during the 2022-23 school year, 

Median pay statewide was $77,943 last school year, up from $74,175 in 2021-22, according to the Taxpayers Guide to Education Spending.  Lakewood area districts

 Lakewood public school teachers salaries went up 21.2% from $56,621 to $68,610 

 Jackson  2.9%  from  $72,752 to  $74,827

Toms River 3%  from $71,395 to   $73,501  

Ocean Academy Charter School in Lakewood on Massachusetts ave salaries went up 29.3%  from $45,000  $58,200

- Newark creates a second zoning board  after a a development backlog of applications 

- Jackson resident demanded that newly instated Councilman Mordy Burnstein recuse himself from voting on a application for land swap deal due to the fact that he runs a political action committee (PAC) together with the developer more

https://www.faanews.com/2023/11/already-in-hot-seat-jackson-residents.html

- The Lakewood Development Corporation's Board of Trustees approved using a total of $1.6 million in UEZ funds for new ambulances and vehicles for the police department. UEZ funds are intended to be used to promote economic development within the Township's UEZ zone. LDC Executive Director David Klein confidently assured the Board of Trustees that "all of these new emergency response vehicles will be used in the zone to enhance economic development." more at faanews 

- Lakewood MUA increased water rates last year to 15% and now are planning another increase of 38% over the next 7 years. A monthly bill of $100 will cost an additional $43 when all rates kick in. There is a public hearing on December 5th for the increase. Last year the meeting was held virtually and the public was only able to participate by calling in.  Last year the MUA commissioners  voted themselves a 5k raise for the benefits.