Two Pedestrians Hit in 12-Hour Span

Police are now reporting that another pedestrian was struck on Route 9 in Freehold Township Wednesday, 12 hours before a Freehold man was hit while waiting for a bus.

According to APP.com, Wednesday's incident happened around 7:30 p.m, when a man walking near Elton-Adelphia road was struck by a Pontiac Grand Prix headed north on the highway, said Patrolman Tom Hartman.

Patrick Graziano, 58, of Howell was listed in critical condition at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune where he is being treated for injuries suffered when he was hit, Hartman said.

The driver of the car, Dervish Mehmet, 50, of East Windsor was uninjured.

No summonses have been issued, Hartman said, and the crash remains under investigation.

Freehold Organizational Meeting Sunday

Councilman-elect John F. Newman and re-elected Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer will be sworn in this Sunday, when the Borough Council holds its annual organizational meeting.

Lieutenant Governor-elect Kim Guadagno is expected to administer the oaths of office.

Council members are also slated to pick their president for 2010 and sign off on a host of professional and volunteer appointments.

The entire 6-page agenda can be seen here:

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Freehold Man Injured in Route 9 Crash

Posted via APP.com:

Slippery road conditions likely played a role in a Route 9 crash in Freehold Township that injured a man waiting at a bus stop on the corner of Schibanoff Lane at about 7:30 a.m., Patrolman Rich Dentroux said.

Anthony Catalano, 42, of Freehold, is being treated for injuries at Jersey ShoreMedical Center in Neptune, Dentroux said. Catalano was waiting for a bus when a Chevy Trailblazer lost control, sideswiped a retaining wall and the bus shelter beforecolliding with a BMW parked at a nearby dealership.

The driver of the Trailblazer, 57-year-old Anthony Massaro of Jackson, told police he was cut-off by the driver of a white four-door Lexus or Infinity and lost control when he swerved onto the snow-covered shoulder of the roadway.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call Dentroux at 732-462-7908.

Freehold Business Fires, Refuses to Pay Whistle Blower

US marshal and special agents from the Inspector General's Office Monday seized a black Corvette vehicle from Freehold-based Brocon Petroleum Inc. in order to enforce a court-ordered payment to a former employee.

Agents seized the vehicle belonging to Richard Kohler, president of Brocon Petroleum Inc., for failing to pay the $7,500 in back wages he was ordered to pay the Scott Shelvin, a former-employee and whistle-blower who was penalized for calling the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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American Hotel Reopens

Posted via APP.com:

All it took was a serving of bacon-wrapped scallops during lunch on Tuesday to make Guy Giampietro an American Hotel believer.

"Absolutely phenomenal," said Giampietro, 43, a Mansfield resident, of the food being served during the official reopening of the restaurant and hotel, which has been a borough mainstay since the 19th century.
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Monmouth County grand jury indicts sisters on theft, conspiracy charges

Posted via APP.com:

A Monmouth County grand jury has handed up an indictment accusing two sisters who ran a pair of Freehold title agencies of pocketing more than $700,000 from clients and using the money to buy luxury cars and travel.

Rebecca Marchese-DePeri-Grande, 37, of Jackson and Meredith Miller, 34, of Brick were arrested Monday following the indictment.
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VFW Gets Makeover from Eagle Scouts

The Freehold VFW has become a hot-spot for area youth, with weekend concerts, summer volleyball games, and community service becoming regular events around the clubhouse.

Nicholas Vitone and other Boy Scouts complete Vitone's Eagle Scout Project at the VFW.

VFW member Mike Schwenk sent us these first-hand reports from two recent Eagle Scouts from Freehold Troop 18, out of St. Rose of Lima Church, that have helped spruce up the outside of the VFW building:
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American Hotel Up and Running

Posted via APP.com:

The long-awaited opening of the American Hotel on Main Street has officially arrived. The hotel soft-launched yesterday with lunch service, and is open for lunch and dinner beginning today.

We dropped by for a peek around lunchtime and found a crowd of about 15 dining and drinking at the shiny new bar.
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Ibby’s Falafel a Family Gem

When you walk into Ibby’s Falafel on Main Street, you get the sense that you’ve walked in on a family party.

Nedal Kwara, the owner of Ibby's Falafel on Main Street in Freehold Borough.

Children run about the store, from their parents chatting at tables to behind the counter and back again. An older man with a white mustache sits proudly in the corner, surrounded by younger generations. A mix of languages is heard; everybody eats and smiles. But this isn’t your average family; it is the most famous falafel family in America.
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‘Freeholders’ Too Confusing to People Outside of Freehold

Ever get confused when those county officials call themselves "Freeholders?" Hope may be on the way: the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders--the governing body which oversees the county--has passed a resolution to change their titles to Commissioners.

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Freeholder John D'Amico cited confusion among people int he county over the title of Freeholder, leading some residents outside of the Freehold area to think they could not vote for the officials in elections, according to an article in the APP. 
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Running Club Hosts Winter Run Series

The Freehold Area Running Club will host their 27th Annual Winter Run Series starting next week in Michael J. Tighe Park. The races are held on the first five Sundays of 2010, beginning January 3.

To battle the chill of a winter 5K, the Running Club offers hot soup and warm, indoor facilities for post-race relaxing. The 5K runs begin at 10AM, with kids' 1/2 mile and 1 mile runs beginning at 9:30AM.
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Dancing into Town: Fred Astaire Dance Studio

It's time to tango, Freehold. The vacant space of the former Bayou Cafe on Main Street shows signs of life finally, with posters proclaiming the arrival of a Fred Astaire Dance Studio franchise on Main Street.

The Studio is part of a national franchise in which branches are independently owned. It seems that our branch is linked to the Ocean Academy of Dance Arts in Jackson, though that is unconfirmed.  More mytseriously, the web address offered in the windows seems inactive.
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American Hotel Opens a Day Early

A day before its "official" grand opening, the American Hotel's restaurant was open for business this afternoon.

Daytime hostess Catheryn Cohen was at her station, and bartenders and waiters were ready to serve anyone who strolled through the doors. During a quick visit around 1 p.m., though, no one was dining in the restaurant - most likely because the opening was not expected until tomorrow.

According to an employee who answered the phone, the plan - which could change - is to only serve lunch today and tomorrow, then expand to dinner by Wednesday.

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APP Calls Out Freehold Township’s Weak Cuts

Freehold Township is not doing enough to curb spending, according to an editorial in yesterday's APP. The editorial page took issue with the Township's self-congratulations over denying retiree health benefits to new hires.

The APP calls for more drastic cuts to current employee benefits, and asks Gov-elect Chris Christie to enforce their suggestions. 
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Monmouth County Goes Hollywood

Posted via APP.com:

By Alesha Williams Boyd

People from New Jersey have a way of finding each other, even when they're 3,000 miles away from home.

So say four Jersey guys from Monmouth County who are now at the helm of ABC's programming, marketing and public relations operations: Mitch Messinger, 39, of Manalapan; Darren J. Schillace, 36, of Holmdel; Steve Kern, 38, of Marlboro, and Brad Jamison, 36, of Freehold Township.
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