Tuesday March 17 News Updates Lakewood

 Weather: 41° Sun and clouds mixed. High 41F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.

- Fire at Evergreen plaza on top of J2 pizza in Lakewood this evening, big emergency response

- Yom Tefillah tomorrow erev Rosh chodesh Nissan  in Yerushalayim with signs calling on everyone to say kapitlach Tehillim.

- All non-essential personnel have been ordered to immediately depart Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst in New Jersey and the base has been raised to Force Protection Condition (FPCON): Charlie; following reports that “multiple suspicious packages” has been found on base, with a major police response underway

- Gas prices at the Jersey Shore have jumped nearly 60 cents, with the local average hitting $3.89 per gallon.

- Bingo Pesach sale deadline today 

- Mysterious shaking reported in N.J., cause unknown . Residents on social media are reporting mysterious shaking felt in Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties, and the source remains unknown. So far, there have been no earthquakes in our region confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey. In addition, there are no reports of large meteors seen or heard today by New Jersey residents. Nick Pittman, a weather forecaster based in South Jersey, says the shaking may have been caused by a sonic boom, although there’s no way to know for sure.

- N.J. weather: No tornadoes confirmed despite snapped poles, downed trees, other storm damage County Line Road has been closed all morning between Somerset Avenue and Twin Oaks Drive due to the downed poles and utility wires from last nights storm

- A special asifah in Lakewood will mark the 40th yahrtzeit of Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Yeshiva K’tana of Lakewood. Prominent rabbanim will speak, and Maariv will follow. An Ezras Nashim will be available.

-BDE: Petirah of R’ Meir Wolofsky z”l, formerly of Flatbush and later of Toms River following an illness. The levaya will take place at 3:00 p.m. at the Lakewood Chapel, followed by an additional levaya at 6:00 p.m. at the Boston Bais Medrash in Flatbush (2822 Ave. J). Kevurah will be in Eretz Yisroel.He is survived by his children and was the father-in-law of the noted baal tzedakah R’ Chuny Herzka of lakewood 

- Jackson officials announced that the first day of in-person inspections by the township’s newly established Rental Safety Bureau resulted in multiple rental violations and the discovery of suspected criminal activity. Mayor Jennifer Kuhn said inspections conducted on March 16 marked the first day bureau staff carried out in-person checks of rental properties across the township. According to township officials, 50% of the properties inspected were found to have rental violations.

- There is growing anger and frustration directed at El Al, and the state dept as many feel the airline has not met expectations despite receiving special funding support from the U.S. State Department for evacuation flights.Numerous travelers remain stranded with limited options to return home, People are urged to call their representatives in Congress and ask them to pressure the State Department to resume operating rescue flights out of Tel Aviv.

- Antisemitisim in New Jersey Paradise lost? Waves of anti-Zionist protesters targeted Teaneck after the Oct. 7 attack, surrounding synagogues and municipal buildings while shouting antisemitic threats.Mayor Mark Schwartz says the incidents marked the start of a sustained rise in antisemitism, changing the character of what was once known as a diverse and harmonious community. a NJ.com report 

- First statement by President Trump on Joe Kent following his resignation today as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, citing the Iran War and Israel:

“Well, I read his statement. I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security. I didn't know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy. But when I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat. Every country realized what a threat Iran was. The question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it. And many people, many of the greatest military scholars are saying for years that the President should have taken out Iran because they wanted a nuclear weapon.”