Kitty, Kitty Might Be Here: More Reports of Mountain Lion in Freehold Twp

Posted via APP.com:

Police responded to a possible mountain lion sighting Tuesday, but no animal or paw prints were found.

A Duchess Court resident called police to say a brown animal with a long tail had been spotted near a tree line some 25 to 30 yards away.
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Spotted: Mountain Lion Migrating to Freehold?

The mountain lion--or creature like it--that has been spotted around Manalapan over the last week may be migrating into Freehold territory, according to chatter on Facebook today.

The footprint of the mysterious creature spotted around Manalapan--and now possibly Freehold--during the last week is believed to be feline.

Though the cat was most recently seen off Taylors Mills Road, Millford Brook, and Tennent Road, readers today reported that it crept to Durand Park in Freehold Township most recently.
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Township Still Dealing with Storm Damage

This weekend's torrential downpours left the Freehold area flooded, powerless, and with a significant clean-up ahead of them. Have photos or a story about the storm's havoc? Send 'em to colleen@injersey.com and we'll get them posted.

According to the Freehold Township Emergency Management Coordinator Ray Piccolini, the rain led to power outages throughout town, including the Poet's Corner and Stonehurst sections of town. Power was restored to the majority of residents by mid-afternoon Sunday, but sporadic outages were still occuring as of 10AM this morning.
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Young and Musical at Heart: Applewood’s New Music Suite for Elderly Residents

At the end of one of the long residents’ corridors in Applewood Estates—the CentraState-affiliated senior living center in Freehold Township—the sound of violins can be heard singing uncertainly from inside a resident apartment.

Fran Redlich, 91, of Applewood Estates, has been playing the flute since she was 50.

“We think the acoustics sound pretty good so far,” says Marjorie Stine, 81, a resident and the center’s band and chorus leader as she taps the piano keys. Stine and five others—three with violins, one with a flute, and one on mandolin—are having their first rehearsal in the new resident music suite.
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Tipsters help crack Freehold Township, Colts Neck burglary cases

Posted via APP.com:

A Freehold Township woman noticed a car in her neighborhood that seemed suspicious, so she called police with a description of the vehicle Tuesday night.

Earlier that night, Colts Neck residents also saw a suspicious vehicle in their neighborhood, so they noted the license plate number of the car.

It was those tips from residents that led to the arrest of a Paterson man, charges in a Colts Neck burglary case, and the discovery of a break-in in Freehold Township -- before the residents even knew their homes had been burglarized, authorities said.

Demar Brown, 26, has been charged in Colts Neck with burglary, theft, and criminal mischief, and in Freehold Township with conspiracy to commit burglary and possession of stolen property.
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2 Lakewood residents arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary

Posted via APP.com:

Police arrested two Lakewood residents who they say broke the front door of a pharmacy on Route 9 North, but could not get inside.

Around 2 a.m. Monday, Officer Chris McCormack was on patrol when he saw a suspicious vehicle pulling out of the Chadwick Square Shopping Center, police said.
He began to follow the car, and around the same time, police were notified about an activated burglar alarm at Tony's Family Pharmacy in the same shopping center, said Detective Sgt Jerry Kiwit.
So McCormack followed the vehicle to McDonald's on Route 9 South, while another officer - Ralph Donato -- went to the pharmacy and found the front door smashed, the sergeant said.
Police said they arrested the two occupants -- Joseph McSulla Jr., 30, and Lauren
Pierce, 25, -- of the vehicle and found a hammer inside.
Police believe the pair tried to break into the pharmacy, but were deterred by the
lock on the door.
McSulla and Pierce were both charged with conspiracy, burglary, possession of
burglary tools and criminal mischief.
McSulla was sent to the Monmouth County Jail, Freehold Township, with bail set at $44,000; Pierce was processed and released.
Sgt. Daniel Pasquinucci and Detective William Holohan assisted in the investigation.

Jewish Heritage Museum Springs Into Action with Cultural Offerings

Music, art, and theater are on the bill this month for the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County.

The cultural bastion of Western Monmouth will offer a variety of exhibits, speakers, and concerts during March, including a one-man performance entitled "Fat Selfish Bastard: Confessions of a Food Addict" on the Museum's Hayloft Stage.
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Township Planning Board Meeting Canceled

Tonight's Planning Board meeting in Freehold Township has been canceled.

The next meeting will be on March 11.

Forget Recycling, Macy’s Has Something Better

Forget recycling-- that green movement is so 2007.  Freehold, it's time for the next big thing: upcycling.

Now, thanks to a Trenton-based company started by a Princeton grad, Freehold residents are being encourage to drop off their old clothes and shoes at Macy's in the Raceway Mall so that they can be "upcycled"-- that is, turned into something better.
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Township Collecting Shoes & Clothes

The Freehold Township Community Police are collecting shoes and clothing to benefit the Children's Programs run by the group. The donations can be in any condition, and can be dropped in bins around town.

The drop-off points are:
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Improvements to Tighe Park Completed, Paid For

Last year's six-month improvement project to Michael J. Tighe Park is officially completed and paid for, according to Recreation Superintendent Sue McGough.

With the passage of a resolution at last night's Council meeting, the Recreation's trust account officially paid $200,000 for a new pavillion, four-square couts, dodgeball courts, and sand volleyball courts.
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Service Summit Proposal DOA

Freehold Township won't be holding a Call to Service summit any time soon, Committee members made clear last night.

The summit - suggested by resident Jennie Jeannette "J.J." Mistretta - would have educated residents on the opportunities in town to serve in non-elected positions.

But Freehold Township already has more residents eager to serve their town than positions to appoint them to, Committee member David Salkin said.

"We've had waiting lists as long as I've been here," said Salkin. "It's not like we have a problem filling boards."

The summit proposal was placed on the Committee's workshop agenda Tuesday after Mistretta asked members to consider it at their Jan. 26 meeting.

"It (the Committee's decision) is kind of what I expected...It (was) just posturing for the public and the press," Mistretta said Wednesday.

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Township Schools Seek Nominees for Board, Too

As we announced yesterday with the Freehold Borough School District, the Freehold Township School District is also seeking nominations for school board elections.

According to a report in the News Transcript, three seats will be available on the Freehold Township K-8 School District Board of Education in the April 20 school election.
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Township Offices Closed Wednesday

Town officials have called it: All Freehold Township municipal offices will be closed Wednesday. They will reopen at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Also, a bonus for the procrastinators out there - thanks to the snowy weather, the township's February tax payment grace period has been extended to Friday, according to the township's Web site.

Fixer Upper Focus: Right on Red at Willow Brook

Ever face a traffic light that just makes you crazy? That was the case for this week's Fixer Upper Focus, a new feature where we spotlight one of the issues added that week to our Fixer Upper map.

For reader Karen Rowe, that problematic intersection was the Township's Willow Brook Road and Halls Mills Road. When heading South on Kozloski/Halls Mill, it's against the law to make a right on Willow Brook; and yet, when turning onto Halls Mill from Willow Brook, it's perfectly legal.
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