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ASBURY PARK PRESS

APP.COM $1.50

FRIDAY 09.09.16
From binge-eating disorder to overactive bladder, new
definitions or lowered thresholds mean millions more
people fit the criteria of having treatable disorders.

ILLNESS

INFLATION
COMING SUNDAY
Be sure to pick up our special edition recognizing the 15th
anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Brookdale
trustee: Hack
caused liked
racist tweets
SUSANNE CERVENKA @SCERVENKA

MIDDLETOWN - A Brookdale Community College


trustee has come under fire for a series of likes found
on a Twitter account under his name including a
like for a posting that used the n-word and another
that refers to President Barack Obama as a monkey.
Board of Trustees member Joseph DiBellas account
shows likes for several of the tweets that were posted
by others on the popular social media site, a review of
his public postings by the Asbury Park Press found.
Likes, usually identified by a heart icon, are social
media shorthand for favoring another persons posts.
DiBella told the Press that the likes were not done
by him and claimed at least one of the tweets was altered with Photoshop to defame him. Brookdale administration released a statement saying the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office is investigating
whether the account was hacked by an unknown third
party.
Among one of the likes: A tweet posted by another
See TWEETS, Page 6A

cut off in traffic? They might be one of 16 million Americans said

Colts Neck effort


to block records
access panned

to suffer from intermittent explosive disorder. Can you polish

BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPP

off a box of cookies while watching your favorite TV show?

sugar level used to be considered normal. Now it makes you a candidate for

TRENTON - Colts Necks effort to stall requests under the states Open Public Records Act is riling up
good government advocates and prompting state
lawmakers to consider stepping in with new laws to
stop government agencies from forcing litigation to resolve the initial validity of an OPRA request.
Colts Neck has filed suit to stop the Asbury Park
Press and two others from obtaining a municipal report
about an investigation into the police chiefs activities.
The township is asking a Superior Court judge to issue a
declaratory judgment to determine if the documents

See ILLNESS, Page 5A

See OPRA, Page 8A

JOHN FAUBER AND KRISTINA FIORE

now someone who shouts and pounds on the steering wheel when

Could be a sign of binge-eating disorder, said to afflict 7 million Americans.


Another 14 million men are said to have clinically low testosterone, 9 million

women suffer from low sexual desire, and tens of millions more are said to have
bladders that are too active or blood sugar that is a little too high. That blood

INSIDE
Press denies Colts Neck more time to respond to public
records request. STORY, 3A

GANNETT ILLUSTRATION

Heroin ringleader indicted, feds say


KATIE PARK @KATHSPARK

TRENTON A man who allegedly managed a multilevel heroin network out of Monmouth and Ocean counties including for a period while behind prison walls
was indicted Thursday on federal drug charges.
Robert Britt, 44, of Asbury Park, was charged in a
one-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute 100

Wells Fargo Bank hit with


$185 million in civil penalties. STORY, 1B

ADVICE
JERSEY ALIVE
CLASSIFIED
4D
JERSEY ALIVE
COMICS
LOCAL
3A
MOVIES
JERSEY ALIVE

grams or more of heroin, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman


said.
Britt is a top-ranking member and half of the inspiration behind the drug-trafficking organization known as
Britt-Young DTO, Fishman said.
Between July 2010 and March 2014,
Fishman said,
!SBURY0ARK0RESS $AILYBARCODE
See DRUGS, Page 6A

OBITUARIES
OPINION
SPORTS
WEATHER
YOUR MONEY

15A
10A
1C
12C
14A

VOLUME 137
NUMBER 217
SINCE 1879

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"6<;<3
 

"6<;<3


LLLLLLLL

LLLLLLLL

"TCVSZ1BSL1SFTTEBJMZ

0DFBO$PVOUZ0CTFSWFS4VOEBZ

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"EACH(AVEN4IME

ASBURY PARK PRESS APP.COM

2A FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

yo!
WHAT EVERYONES
TALKING ABOUT

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LOTTERIES
THURSDAY, SEPT. 8
NEW JERSEY
Midday Pick-3: 862
Straight: $253.50
Box: $42
Pair: $25
Midday Pick-4: 2090
Straight: $2,232.50
Box: $186; Pair: $22
Evening Pick-3: 497
Straight: $325
Box: $54
Pair: $32.50
Evening Pick-4: 6271
Straight: $2,716
Box: $113; Pair: $27
Jersey Cash 5: 5, 11, 30, 31,
43
5 of 5 pays $0
4 of 5 pays $606
3 of 5 pays $15
Pick-6 Xtra: 4, 5, 6, 42, 43,
48; Xtra: 4
Five of six pays $4,640. Four
of six pays $79. Three of six
pays $3. Mondays top-prize
estimate is a $3.9 million
annuity.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7
NEW JERSEY
Midday Pick-3: 912
Straight: $195
Box: $32.50; Pair: $19.50
Midday Pick-4: 7800
Straight: $2,581.50
Box: $215; Pair: $25.50
Evening Pick-3: 259
Straight: $165.50
Box: $27.50; Pair: $16.50
Evening Pick-4: 2107
Straight: $2,355
Box: $98; Pair: $23.50
Jersey Cash 5: 4, 16, 18, 24,
28
5 of 5 pays $0; 4 of 5 pays
$366; 3 of 5 pays $12
NEW YORK
Midday Daily: 529
Lucky Sum: 16
Midday WinFour: 8813
Lucky Sum: 20
Evening Daily: 806
Lucky Sum: 14
Evening WinFour: 9865
Lucky Sum: 28
Lotto: 16, 22, 31, 37, 48, 52
Bonus: 29
Take-5: 2, 6, 23, 25, 28
Pick 10: 1, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 28,
34, 35, 37, 39, 45, 50, 51, 56,
58, 65, 72, 76, 77

PENNSYLVANIA
Pick 2 Day: 96
Pick 3 Day: 769
Pick 4 Day: 6501
Pick 5 Day: 88803
Treasure Hunt: 2, 10, 22, 26,
27
Pick 2 Evening: 01
Pick 3 Evening: 268
Pick 4 Evening: 9818
Pick 5 Evening: 69548
Cash 5: 4, 13, 14, 27, 31
Match 6: 7, 18, 21, 26, 30, 43

PENNSYLVANIA
Pick 2 Day: 70
Pick 3 Day: 464
Pick 4 Day: 3189
Pick 5 Day: 88003
Treasure Hunt: 9, 11, 13, 22,
28
Pick 2 Evening: 49
Pick 3 Evening: 915
Pick 4 Evening: 1882
Pick 5 Evening: 81395
Cash 5: 7, 21, 25, 29, 36
MULTISTATE
Powerball: 22, 23, 29, 33, 55
Powerball: 21

Asbury Park Press, member of the Gannett Group


3600 Highway 66, Box 1550, Neptune, NJ 07754

Vol. 137, No. 217 September 9, 2016


THOMAS M. DONOVAN President and Publisher
tdonovan@gannettnj.com

HOLLIS R. TOWNS

Editor/VP News

732-643-4210

htowns@gannettnj.com

KATHLEEN ABATEMARCO
732-643-3104

Regional VP/Advertising

732-643-3644

kguarasi@gannettnj.com

ERIK STATLER

VP/Finance

732-643-3310

estatler@gannettnj.com

WAYNE L. PERAGALLO
732-643-2510

JANE PETTIGREW
732-643-2580

JACK ROTH

732-643-3930

VP/Human Resources

kabatemarco@gannettnj.com

KAREN GUARASI

VP/Information Technology

wperagallo@gannettnj.com

VP/Circulation

jpettigrew@gannettnj.com

VP/Production

jroth@gannettnj.com

NEWSROOM
PAUL DAMBROSIO Director, News and Investigations
732-643-4261

pdambrosio@gannettnj.com

FELECIA WELLINGTON RADEL Regional Digital Director


732-643-4230

TRENDING
BUZZ ON SOCIAL
NETWORKS

#StarTrek50
@davidschneider: In an
office? Celebrate #StarTrek50 by pretending you're
under attack and all falling
to one side then another.

MONMOUTH EXECUTIVE
AIRPORT
BURGLARY

MIDDLETOWN WTC
MEMORIAL
GARDENS

Wall Township police are


seeking leads on a burglary
at a Monmouth Executive
Airport business.

Personalized monuments to
all 37 township victims of the
9/11 attacks line the walkway.

9/11 TRIBUTE:
A DAUGHTER
HONORS
HER DAD

RED ZONE ROAD SHOW:


NEPTUNE VS
MIDDLETOWN
NORTH

@Astro_Mike: Happy
anniversary, @StarTrek!
Thank you for inspiring my
@NASA peers and fellow
astronauts

Holmdel's Francesca Picerno


honors him in a song.

Our weekly traveling football show kicks-off the season in Neptune Township.

@wilw: Star Trek taught


me that I could grow up to
be anyone casting wanted.
#StarTrek50

@Space_Station: To
boldly go, on behalf of all
humankind, requires an
international partnership.
#StarTrek50

MULTISTATE
Cash 4 Life: Late drawing

NEW YORK
Midday Daily: 130
Lucky Sum: 4
Midday WinFour: 6290
Lucky Sum: 17
Evening Daily: 232
Lucky Sum: 7
Evening WinFour: 4032
Lucky Sum: 9
Take-5: Late drawing
Pick 10: Late drawing

732-643-4110

MUST WATCH

fwellington@gannettnj.com

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VIEWED
These stories were trending Thursday on app.com:
1. Middletown, 9/11 and
what endures after 15
years
2. A 9/11 bond that turned
darkness into light
3. Bruce Springsteen and a
camera crew visit Freehold
4. Lakewood athlete gets
10 years for holdups

Follow us on Twitter
@asburyparkpress

SAID
This walk was
important to me
because there are so many
girls like me who are survivors
of acid attacks, and this will give
them courage. And it will also go to
show people who judge people based
on their appearance that you shouldnt
judge a book by its cover you should
look at everyone though the same eyes.
RESHMA QUERESHI,
survivor of an acid attack in India,
walking the runway at New York
Fashion Week

POSTED

BRING FOOD
DONATIONS
TO OCEAN
GROVE

Do you want to make a


difference in your community? If so, here is an easy
way to do so. At
APP.com/things-to-do.

Toms River
parking fee
increase
criticized
Doreen Longo: Toms River
would save a fortune by
getting rid of the Parking
Authority, selling off those
cute little smart cars. Look
at the benefits, salary we
wouldnt have to be on the
hook for. Ill lay bet this is a
pack of cronie jobs.
Matthew W. Lightbody
Sr.: Toms river needs.money
to employ another political
relative or another Lightbody or family member.
Sal A. Giacchi: This effects
the middle class and the
poor the most. Boycott the
new fees. Dont park on
those streets. Shop at the
mall instead.
Like us at
facebook.com/
asburyparkpress

31 ON THIS DAY
Today is Friday, Sept. 9, the 253rd day of 2016. There are 113
days left in the year.

1986: Frank Reed, director of a private school in Lebanon, was


taken hostage; he was released 44 months later.

On this date in:

1997: Sinn Fein, the IRAs political ally, formally renounced


violence as it took its place in talks on Northern Irelands future.

1543: Mary Stuart was crowned Queen of Scots at Stirling


Castle, nine months after she was born.
1850: California became the 31st state of the union.

2006:After two frustrating weeks of delays, space shuttle


Atlantis and its six astronauts blasted off on a 12-day mission to
install a big new piece of the international space station.

1893: Frances Cleveland, wife of President Grover Cleveland,


gave birth to a daughter, Esther, in the White House; it was
the first (and, to date, only) time a presidents child was born
in the executive mansion.

2011: New Yorkers and Washingtonians shrugged off talk of a


new terror threat as intelligence officials scrambled to nail
down information on a possible al-Qaida strike timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

1919: Some 1,100 members of Bostons 1,500-man police force


went on strike. (The strike was broken by Massachusetts Gov.
Calvin Coolidge with replacement officers.)

Thought for Today: There are two great days in a persons


life the day we are born and the day we discover why.
William Barclay, Scottish theologian (1907-1978).

1926: The National Broadcasting Co. (NBC) was incorporated


by the Radio Corp. of America.
1948: The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North
Korea) was declared.
1956: Elvis Presley made the first of three appearances on
The Ed Sullivan Show.
1965: Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched a
perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.
Final score: 1-0.
1971: Prisoners seized control of the maximum-security Attica
Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York, beginning a
siege that ended up claiming 43 lives.
1976: Communist Chinese leader Mao Zedong died in Beijing
at age 82. JVC unveiled its new VHS videocassette recorder
during a presentation in Tokyo.

CORRECTED POLICY
CORRECTION
The Asbury Park Press is committed to fairness and accuracy and corrects its mistakes ungrudgingly. To request a
correction, please call Tamara Wilder (732-643-4200)
during the day on weekdays. For Sports corrections,
please call Steve Feitl (732-643-4227).

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Eat, drink and support
charity with APP
Calling New Jersey foodies: Join Asbury Park Press food
writer Sarah Griesemer and Luxury Living editor Jamila
Robinson for an autumn-inspired meal and wine tasting,
Dinner Party with APP at Ama Ristorante, at 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 6. Ama is located at 1485 Ocean Ave. in Sea Bright.
This early dinner expands our Luxe Luncheon foodie series
launched at Restaurant Nicholas in Middletown and will
include a meet-and-greet with the chef and our editors,
plus a $15 Ama bonus card.
And its all for a good cause: A portion of proceeds will
benefit St. Marys Place by the Sea, an Ocean Grove-based
retreat for women with cancer.
Tickets are $75 for nonsubscribers; $65 for our Insider
members. Visit app.com/insider for your tickets or call
732-984-0088 for more information.

ASBURY PARK PRESS

FRIDAY 09.09.16

APP.COM

3A

Fall Luxe Luncheon at Restaurant Nicholas


Welcome to a seat at the
table at Restaurant Nicholas
in Middletown as our guest
for our fall Luxe Luncheon.
As part of this exclusive
offer, a limited number of
guests will join our Luxury Living editor Jamila Robinson for
an afternoon at the gourmet restaurant with executive chef
and owner Nicholas Harary at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 27.
The three-course meal at this utopia of food and wine will be
a palate-pleaser, and Press subscribers receive special pricing
at $60 per seat. General admission is $65.
The admission price will include not only the luxe threecourse meal but also a signed copy of Chef Hararys critically
acclaimed first cookbook, Nicholas: The Cookbook.
Visit app.com/insider to reserve your seats and for more
information call 732-984-0088.

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ocean &
monmouth

today

FILE PHOTO

Diners enjoy an afternoon with APP Luxury Living editors and


Chef Nicholas Harary at a recent Luxe Luncheon.

GOT A NEWS TIP,


PHOTO OR VIDEO?

Call us at 732-643-4200 or email


Newstips@GannettNJ.com.
We want to hear from you!

Court to
hear appeal
by housing
advocates
Issue is whether towns
must address backlog
KAREN YI @KAREN_YI

The states highest court has agreed to hear an expedited appeal by housing advocates objecting to a lower
court ruling that significantly reduced the burden on
towns to accommodate more low- and moderate-income homes within their borders.
The Supreme Court of New Jersey said Thursday it
was fast-tracking an appeal related to whether municipalities were required to meet a backlog of affordable
housing needs accumulated during a 16-year period
when the agency in charge of regulating affordable
housing crumbled and failed to issue any directive.
The housing advocates seek to restore a decision by
Ocean County Superior Court Judge Mark Troncone,
who ruled earlier this year that towns were responsible
for meeting past and future affordable housing needs in
addition to addressing pent up needs built between
1999-2015. That timespan is known as the gap period
because the Council on Affordable Housing broke down
and left towns with no rules or housing quotas to follow.
A state appellate court in July overturned Troncones
decision, effectively reducing the affordable housing
obligations of towns, to the great relief of municipalities.
The Supreme Court Thursday also granted a stay of
the appellate courts ruling, meaning its not enforceable while the appeal is pending.

FILE PHOTO

Calico the Evil Clown was originally built to advertise Joseph Azzolinas Food Circus store, the predecessor to the Foodtown
supermarket chain. Calico would be protected under plans to develop a town center nearby.

Middletown project
delayed for months
Town center hearing pushed back again
RUSS ZIMMER @RUSSZIMMER

See HOUSING, Page 4A

Fort Monmouth group


puts chapel up for sale

PROVIDED BY TOLL BROTHERS/WILLIAM TAYLOR

A representation of how the kitchen will look in the proposed


townhomes as part of the town center project in Middletown.

Not so fast, the Middletown Township Planning


Board told the developer of a controversial shopping
center during a short but contentious meeting Wednesday night.
The project, sometimes called the town center but
known officially as Village 35 or the Shoppes at Middletown, was expected to be fleshed out during the
public meeting, which was near capacity with attorneys
for the developer, National Realty & Development
Corp., and township residents who dont want to see the
project move forward.
Well, the opponents got their wish on Wednesday, at
least for another three months, as board chairman John
Deus stuck to the boards previous position that the retail and residential phases of the development 350
residential units, including 70 affordable housing
apartments are a part of the overall plan should be
considered together.
Toll Brothers, a home builder in the Philadelphia
See DELAYS, Page 4A

DAN RADEL @DANIELRADELAPP

OCEANPORT - The former Main Post Chapel on the


Fort Monmouth property has been put up for sale.
Both the forts Reuse Plan and the group redeveloping the fort call for the facility be reused as a house of
worship.
The building sits on five acres on Malterer Avenue in
the Oceanport reuse parcels. The chapel has a sanctuary that can accommodate 600 congregants, 15 classrooms, a commercial kitchen and an assembly room.
Its also located in the forts Historic District. The
structure itself however, is not considered historic, according to the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization
Authority, the state group in charge of redeveloping the
fort that was shuttered by the U.S. Army in 2011.
That means the building could be demolished, according to the group.
The group though, said it is looking to return the
property to active use at the earliest possible date and
has given buyers until noon Oct. 7 to submit a bid for the
chapel.
A stipulation is the buyer will have to construct a
paved parking lot with 115 spaces at the north end of the
property, according to the groups land use rules.
Title of the property is still held by the Army but
FMERA is expected to take ownership this fall when
the remaining Main Post parcels are transferred via a
sale.
Dan Radel: 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com

Colts Neck asks APP for more time


KAREN YI @KAREN_YI

COLTS NECK - The Asbury Park Press has denied


the township more time to respond to a public records
request concerning a disciplinary action against the
police chief.
In an emailed letter to a reporter, the township said
it wanted more time to respond to the Open Public
Records request, saying that its lawyer is asking a Superior Court judge to determine whether the record is

public. Until the judge issues a decision, the record cannot be provided, the township wrote, seeking to extend
its response to Sept. 23.
Under the records law, the township had seven business days to provide the record or issue a reason for the
denial. While it is common for agencies to ask for an
extension of time, the Asbury Park Press denied the extension.
See RECORDS, Page 4A

ASBURY PARK PRESS APP.COM

4A FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

local
Records
Continued from Page 3A

They have the records and the law says they must
comply within seven days, said Paul DAmbrosio,
news director for the Press. An appellate court has
ruled in another case that towns cannot ask a judge to
delay the release of public documents.
The townships filing of a suit to stop the OPRA is
unusual and would require the requesters to defend
their request in court at their own expense. The
Press denial of an extension will likely not affect the
delay in providing the documents. As of the end of
Thursday, the township issued no response to the denial.
The Press requested the written opinion of Robert
OHagan, a retired Superior Court judge, who presided over the disciplinary hearing of Police Chief Kevin
Sauter and recommended a five-day unpaid suspension. Sauter decided to make the hearing public.
The Township Committee subsequently approved
OHagans recommendation but did not release the
taxpayer-funded report.
In the allegations levied against Sauter, the town
said he failed to get approval from the committee to
attend the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago, failed to use his vacation
days for the trip and called an on-duty police officer to
transport him, his wife and another police chief from
the airport to their homes.
Colts Neck attorney James L. Plosia Jr. filed the
lawsuit asking a judge to issue a declaratory judgment to determine if the documents requested
through Open Public Records Act by the Press and
two others are indeed public. An appellate court ruled
last year that a government custodian responding to a
records request cannot seek a declaratory judgment.
In April, the state supreme court agreed to hear the
case.
The lawsuit by Colts Neck seeks to stall the response to the Press records request until the states
highest court weighs in.
Karen Yi: 732-643-4277; kyi@gannettnj.com

FILE PHOTO

Signs opposed to a proposed town center development found along Kings Highway East in 2001.

Delays
Continued from Page 3A

area, has submitted a second, separate development


application to build the rental homes.
The plan is that when (the Toll Brothers application) is deemed to complete, then we can continue,
Deus told Marc Policastro, National Realtys attorney.
That means the project wont be discussed until the
Dec. 7 planning board meeting at the earliest.
The contingent from National Realty seemed taken
aback by the decision, having assembled engineers
and architects to give testimony before the board.
Thats the third time the company has brought in experts to testify.
Policastro and National Realty president John Orrico both declined to comment after the meeting.
Board attorney James Gorman, who suggested that
the public hearing essentially start over from scratch
when the two applications are merged, hinted at future clashes between the board and the developers.

Housing
Continued from Page 3A

We are pleased that the Supreme Court agreed to


hear our appeal on an expedited basis, said Kevin
Walsh, Executive Director of the Fair Share Housing
Center that filed the appeal. Thousands of New Jersey families have waited years for homes they can afford near jobs and good schools. The law is clear that
towns are not permitted to simply erase their unmet

Obviously these are going to be adversarial proceedings ... and this likely ends in court, he said.
Final submitted plans show a movie theater abutting
Kings Highway East and five restaurants surrounding
five retail buildings, including a 200,000-square-foot
building that the developer says will house four or five
storefronts. There are 1,752 parking spaces in the plan.
National Realty said last year that a high-end specialty grocer and a specialty wine and liquor store had
already committed to being anchor tenants.
The Oaks at Middletown, the housing portion of the
development, would be situated between the shopping
center and Carriage Lane.
The designs call for the affordable units to take the
shape of three multistory apartment buildings on four
acres near the corner of Kings Highway East and northbound Route 35. Next to those would be 280 single-family homes spread across 62.5 acres.
The idea of town center has been floating around for
20 years, but has repeatedly met with and, for many
years, been stymied by public opposition from residents who say they worry about traffic issues and property values.
Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com

housing obligations.
The New Jersey State League of Municipalities,
which opposed the appeal, said it was not surprised by
the courts decision.
It will unfortunately further delay what has been a
drawn-out, costly process for taxpayers, said Michael
Cerra, assistant executive director for the League. Ultimately, we fully expect the well-reasoned, unanimous
Appellate ruling to be upheld. Perhaps once this decision is upheld, we can bring finality to costly litigation
and get around to the business of compliance.
Arguments are scheduled for Nov. 29-30.
Karen Yi: 732-643-4277; kyi@gannettnj.com

DATEBOOK

Publication Date
Deadline Date

Monday
Thursday,
4:30 p.m.

Tuesday
Friday,
4:30 p.m.

Wednesday
Monday,
4:30 p.m.

Thursday
Tuesday,
4:30 p.m.

Friday
Wednesday,
4:30 p.m.

1-877-735-SELL (7355)
Chorale Audtions at Georgian Court University.

Welcoming new members for the fall season: Men & Women
of All Ages. Auditions 9/6 & 9/13. A prepared piece is not
needed. Info: Call Claire 732-948-9464

Huge Clothing & Linen Sale 9/8, 9/9 & 9/10

The Beach Plum Festival

St. Marys, Colts Neck, Rt. 34 & Phalanx. Thurs. 9/8


10-6pm; Fri 9/9; 10-5pm; Sat 9/10; 9-1. Mens, womens
& childrens clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry & linens.
Great Bargains!! For info or directions 732-780-2666

at Island Beach State Park, Sun Sept 11th; 9am-4pm Rain or


Shine. Crafts, Environmental exhibits, nature programs,
Seining, kids games, beach plum jelly, ice cream, muffins,
food vendors. For more info visit www.friendsofibsp.org

Main Street Fashion Boutique Grand Opening

Fri/Sat/Sun Sept 9, 10 & 11. 10-6pm. ; 812 Main St, Toms


River (next to Yesterdays & Todays). 50-75% off Sale. Name
Brand & Designer Fashions, Authentic Handbags. Free GiveAways, Raffle, Refreshments. For info call 732-551-2504

Ship Bottom/ AOH 11th Annual Irish Festival

Red Bank Humanists Monthly Forum

David Silverman, President of "American Atheists", will


speak on "Fighting God" on Sunday September 12, at
10:30am-Noon at Red Bank Charter School, 58 Oakland St,
Red Bank, NJ. Free and open to the public.

Healthy Summer Food Series

Healthy Foods and Aging


Continuing Care Seabrook
Wednesday, September 14th, 2016, 5:00pm-7:00pm
Call 732-481-6077 to RSVP by September 9th.

Sat 9/10 & Sun 9/11 (11am) 10th Ave on the Bay LBI,
Great Irish Showbands, Pipes & Drums of Ocean County,
stepdancers, vendors of food, soda, beer & Irishwear.
Preceded by Shamrock 5K FUN RUN.Sunday Gaelic Mass
11am. Seating & dance floor under ultra large tent.
US Armed Forces recognition.

Fri. Sept 16, 9am-3pm & Sat. Sept 17, 9am-2pm. Bucks Mill
Park Recreation Bldg. Bucks Mill Rd, Colts Neck (Off Rt 537).
Antiques, Clothing, Small Appliances, Glassware, China, etc.

AAUW Used Booksale Opens w/Preview Night

Hosted by The Toms River Elks #1875. On Sept, 16th, 2016.


600 Washington St. Toms River,08753 6pm-10pm.
Cost: $20 for a 15 minutes reading. For info contact:
Karen @ 201-893-0644

Booklovers alert, join AAUW for Preview Night, Friday,


Sept. 9 from 7 to 9 PM, Old First Church, 69 Kings Highway,
Middletown, $5 admission to see the latest offerings.
Regular Sat. hours start Sept. 10 from 9AM to 2PM.
Proceeds provide scholarships for women and girls.
Call 732-933-4855 for more information.

BRIELLE DAY CRAFT SHOW


Saturday September 10th
9am-4pm rain or shine outdoors
200 crafters of handmade items
644 Union Lane Brielle NJ 08730

Habitat for Humanity Sponsors Walk to Build

3 mile family fun walk benefitting those in need of safe, affordable housing. Lavalette, Sat September 10th. Registration at 9am, event starts at 10am, $25 fee/donation. Lavalette founders day to follow. Register online @ nohfh.com

Ocean Grove Giant Fall Flea Market

Sponsored by the Ocean Grove Area Chamber of Commerce


from 9-4 Sat., Sept. 10, on Ocean Pathway. Over 385
Vendors. Antiques, collectibles, new items, old stuff, variety
of food, something for everyone. (Rain/Shine) Free
admission. 732-774-1391 www.oceangrovechamber.org

25th Annual Sailfest

Craft Fair, Sailboat Races and Shore Party, Vendors Wanted


River Ave, Island Hts 10am-10pm. Presented by The Rotary
Club of Toms River. Free Parking & Free Handicap Accessible
@ Island Heights Fire Co. Shuttle Bus. 732-286-1807 or
www.sailfest.net

41st Annual Clearwater Festival, Sept 10 &11

Sat 11-7. Sun 10-5. Free celebration of the environment w/


live music on 3 stages, exhibits, food, childrens area. Brookdale Community College, outside Larrison Hall. 765 Newman
Springs Rd, Lincroft 07738. www.mcclearwater.org/festival

Flea/Craft Market

Sunday Sept 11th. 9-4pm at Bicentennial Park, Amber Ave,


Beach Haven NJ. Great shopping for everyone, come spend
the day, great food. For more info call 732-682-3230 or
go to www.Kraftfairs.com

Opening Reception

Members Juried Art Show. Awards at 2pm @ The Ocean


County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
08732. 1-4pm, Handicapped accessible. Info. 732-270-3111

Colts Neck Womans Club Indoor Yard Sale

Pyschic Fair At The Toms River Elks

Datebook Guidelines
Datebook ads are limited to event listings
Advance payment is required prior to publication
All ads run 1-5, 6-10, or 11-15 consecutive days
Ads will appear in the Asbury Park Press
Saturday
Thursday,
4:30 p.m.

Benefit Dress Sale

Christ Church Rt. 35 and Sycamore ave. Shrewsbury, NJ 10a4:30pm. This is a sale of new and slightly used dresses that
will be sold at "fly off the rack" prices. All gowns, party
dresses, casual and fun dresses will be available for guilt free
shopping. All proceeds benefit Redeem-Her.

Coins, Sport Cards, Currency, Collectibles Show

Phalanx Rd, Colts Neck NJ, Sat. Sept 10th 9-3pm. 40 Dealer
Tables. Free admission & Free appraisals. Featuring vintage
cards & coins, currency & other collectibles St. Marys Church
Rt. 34. 732-526-7337. Day of show call (904) 910-3566

Giant Outdoor Flea Market

Atlantic Highlands Historical Society- 39th Annual Flea


Market. Sat. 9/17; 10-4pm. at the Town Marina (off 1st Ave).
Antiques, collectibles, new used Second Time Around, 100 +
vendors, market full. Refreshments by the Society. For info
732-291-4313 or 732-291-9337 Rain Date 9/24

Hazlet Day

Saturday September 17, 2016; 11AM Rain Date Sunday


9/18, Veterans Memorial Park, 1776 Union Ave, Hazlet.
Free rides, entertainment, games. Over 100 vendors. Fun day
for all. Visit: hazlettwp.org/recreation for more information.

17 Annual Run for the Arts 5k Run & 2Mi Walk

September 17th - The Jersey Shore Arts Center 66 S. Main St.


in Ocean Grove, NJ. Run through historic Ocean Grove starting and ending at this wonderful 120 year old building. All
proceeds benefit the ongoing restoration of the Palaia Theater. Race start is 9am, walk start is 9:10am. Registration $25 with awards for top finishers in each age group. Long
sleeve shirts for all runners who register before the day of
the race. Day of registrants will receive shirts as supplies
last. For more information: visit our website at
jerseyshoreartscenter.org or call at 732-502-0050.

Rates: 1-5 times .....$60


6-10 times ...$75
11-15 times ..$85

Prices are based on a 5 line ad.


Additional lines may be purchased for an extra charge

18th Annual Irish Festival at the Jersey Shore

Sept. 17th 10am-6pm Sea Girt National Guard Base Irish


Mass, music, dancing, food and Irish vendors Ticket $7
advance $10 at gate Tickets sold at: The Irish Center
Spring Lake; Dr. Ts Manasquan; American Highlander Klits,
Toms River; OIreland, Red Bank & Dans Deli, Neptune.
For more info: www.njshoreirishfestival.com

Alpaca Open Farm Days at Cedar Lane Alpacas

Howell, NJ 9/17 & 9/18; 11a- 4p each day. Visit our farm to
meet/learn about Alpacas. Start holiday shopping early.
Stock up on luxurious alpaca socks, apparel & yarn. Alpacas
for sale. Yarn spinning demos & hand made items.
Dir: www.cedarlanealpacas.com 732-938-4185

Garden State Latino Cultural Festival

Sat, Oct 1st, 11am-5pm. Lake Terrace, 1690 Oak St.(off New
Hampshire Ave), Lakewood Large indoor facility, free adm,
free games, music, prizes, food & family entertainment. For
more info or reserve space at the Festival call: 908-216-6235
or email: lunjpr@optonline.net, or visit www.naalp.org

150th Anniversary

First United Methodist Church, Keansburg, will celebrate 150


years on Sunday October 9, 2016. Worship service will be at
11 am. For more info call 732-787-0289

"Do I Have a Workers Comp Case?"

Evangelist Dr. Tony Campolo

Thursday,October 13 th, 7pm-8pm @ Toms River Library


101 Washington St, Toms River, NJ. Know your rights and
learn the one thing insurance companies will never
tell you! For more information & to reserve your seat,
732-228-7534 or support@jerseyshoreworkerscomp.com

Taste of Atlantic Highlands

Harvestfest Craft Show

Will be the guest speaker on Sun. 9/18 at 10am at West


Grove United Methodist Church, corner 102 Walnut Street
& Rte 33, Neptune, NJ. 732-774-6748. Seating is limited
Sun. 9/18, 12-4:30pm, throughout the town. Sample fine
food, drinks, cocktails & shopping from dozens of unique
restaurants, food specialty & retail shops. Door prizes,
raffles, gift cards,giveaways & more. Free shuttle & live
music all day. Strauss Mansion Museum Open.
Tickets $35, children under 12 Free. Info/vendor list/tix
www.atlantichighlands.org or 732-872-8711 or AH
Chamber on Facebook; Tix also at participating restaurants/
shops. First 300 includes tote bag. Rain date: Sun. 9/25

Allaire Villages Late Summer Flea Market

Allaire Villages Late Summer Flea Market. 9/17, 8am-3pm.


Rain Date 9/18. $1/Adult, Under 12 free. Dealer spaces
available. 4263 Atlantic Ave, Farmingdale, NJ 07727
732-919-3500 or www.allairevillage.org

Sunday
Thursday,
4:30 p.m.

Fiesta De San Gennaro, Sept 20,21,22.

Oktoberfest Oct 11,12, & 13. Old Time Rock N Roll


Oct 18,19,& 20. Finnegans Irish Wake, Nov 8, 9 , 10.
Great American Performers Nov 15-16. Doolans Shore
Club, Spring Lake, Soup to nuts Luncheon, 1 Hour Open Bar
+ Comedian, 11:30-3:30, Price $50.50. Call Allstar Productions @ 732-458-7118

Free Singing Lessons for Men

Men who love to sing are invited to a FREE 6-week program


of singing lessons with Musical Director Craig Page at Red
Bank Middle School. Class meets Tuesday evenings 7-10PM
starting September 20. For details visit redbankchorus.org

Manasquans Festival 2016

Arts & Crafts, Sat. Sept. 24 10am-4pm. Rain date Sept. 25


Squan Plaza, off Main St. Quality artists & crafters. Great
gift ideas & home decor. Pumpkin Painting & Apple & Pumpkin Pie contest Music, Food. Come enjoy the day! Free admission. For Info: 732-682-3230 www.kraftfairs.com

13th Annual Fall Fest

Joe Palaia Park, Oakhurst. Crafters wanted. 15x15 space;


$20. Food, inflatable rides, pumpkin patch, meatball throw
down, a special artist area, hayrides. Woodfield Brothers
Band. Info call Donna/Rachel 732-531-5000x 5401

Concert To Benefit Homeless Families

"Its Not Just Jazz!" Benefits working homeless families of


Ocean County. 2pm at the Grunin Center for the Arts at
Ocean County College. Feat. the Billy Lawlor Quintet. Tickets
$20 ($15 Students & Over 65). Purchase at www.ihnoc.net.

September Alzheimers Awareness Month


Free memory screenings every Tuesday & Thursday!
Located at the Toms River Memory & Aging Center,
Please call to schedule 732-244-2299

Sponsored by Bay Head Business Association Sat 10/15;


10am-4pm RD: 10/16. Bicentennial Park on Bridge Ave, Bay
head Crafters, great gift ideas. Pumpkin Paintings, Start
holiday shopping early. For information 732-682-3230
www.Kraftfairs.com

Morano Tours Branson, Graceland & Nashville

9 days, 8 nights Oct 15-23rd. Includes: deluxe motor coach


transportation, hotel accommodations, 12 meals, 4 great
Branson shows, including Branson Belle Dinner Cruise,
admission to Elvis Graceland, Nashvilles Grand Ol Opry,
Shenandoah caverns. Only $1199 pp, dbl occ. Group discounts. Toms River departure, free prking Call 732-237-9977

QVC Bus Trip Benefits CONTACT, Sat. 10/ 15

Visit QVC Outlet, lunch at Buca Di Beppo & shop at QVC


studio. Tickets $75- includes bus & lunch. 732-240-6104
info/tickets. CONTACT of Ocean /Monmouth Cnty, 24/7
Crisis Intervention/Suicide Prevention Helpline

Heart of Gold Luncheon & Gift Auction

Sponsored by Seaside Chapter of Deborah. Wednesday,


Oct. 19th at the Clarion, Rt. 37, Toms River. Doors open
11am. Luncheon at 1pm. Admission $35. Prime Rib, Chicken
or Fish. Gift baskets, 50-50 raffle, RSVP by October 7th. Call
Roz at 732-608-0599

Aberdeen 32nd Annual Jolly Mouse Craft Show

November 5th, at the Lloyd Rd. School, Aberdeen, from


10am-4pm. Over 100 crafters of handmade items, raffles,
food and more. Proceeds benefit H.A.M. Therapeutic Rec.
Program. For more information please call 732-583-4200,
ext. 173 or 129.

Brick PTSA Craft Fair- Crafters Wanted

Crafters wanted for Brick PTSA Craft Fair. Saturday Nov 19,
2016 from 9am-4pm held at Brick H.S. 346 Chambers Bridge
Rd. Brick. Crafter fees are $40 in Cafeteria, $50 in
Hallway, & $70 in Gymnasium. Application deadline is Nov.
1st. For application email: cathypowell @verizon.net or call
Cathy at 732-241-6296

Holiday Arts & Crafts Marketplace

Monmouth Race Track, Fri. & Sat. 11/25 & 11/26, 104:30pm Rt. 36 & Oceanport Avenue in Oceanport. Quality
Artists and Craftsmen. Music, Santa, Great Gifts & Home
Decor. For info call: 732-682-3230. www.KraftFairs.com

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 5A

APP.COM ASBURY PARK PRESS

cover story
Illness
Continued from Page 1A

treatment with expensive


medication.
None of these conditions was considered part
of mainstream medicine
just 20 years ago. But
thanks to new definitions
or lowered thresholds,
millions more people
overnight fit the criteria of having treatable
disorders.
independent
Many
doctors and researchers
are skeptical, saying the
new conditions are the
product
of
medical
groups that get pharmaceutical industry funding,
researchers looking to advance their careers and
drug companies aiming to
broaden the market for
expensive new products.
On top of that, the
drugs sold to treat these
newly defined and not
life-threatening conditions often carry serious
health risks, a Milwaukee
Sentinel/MedJournal
Page Today investigation
has found.
An examination of
eight common new conditions found the changes
all went in the same direction toward expanding
the number of people who
could be treated with expensive drugs.
Pre-diabetes: Twice in
the past 13 years, in 2003
and again in 2010, the
American Diabetes Assolowered
the
ciation
threshold for blood sugar
levels used to define prediabetes. Doctors without ties to the drug industry, including those who
have done research in the
area, say pre-diabetes is
an unnecessary label that
can lead to the overtreatment of patients with
drugs, exposing them to
risks without proof of real
benefits.
Indeed, a major study
published in 2002 had
shown that a combination
of diet and exercise reduced the odds of pre-diabetes becoming diabetes
by 58 percent, while use of
the drug metformin only
reduced it by 31 percent.
Yet the two adjustments to the definition of
increased
pre-diabetes
the number of people said
to have the condition fivefold, from 17 million to 87
million. In March, a report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research estimated that
46% of all Californians, 13
million people, now have
pre-diabetes.
Nine of the 14 doctors
who made the 2010 adjustment in blood sugar levels
worked as speakers, consultants or advisers to
drug companies that
make products to treat diabetes, an earlier Journal
Sentinel/MedPage Today
investigation found. Disclosure statements were
never made public for the
2003 panel.
The American Diabetes Association itself has
long received financial
support from drug companies, including more
than $7 million from current donors. The actual
amount may well be higher, since the website only
lists donors by minimum
amounts, such as Banting Circle Elite members who contribute at
least $1 million. The $7
million alone is more than
enough to cover the pay
and benefits for the 17
highest paid executives
listed in the associations
tax forms.
Robert Ratner, chief

scientific and medical officer of the association,


said changes to the definition were done after consulting with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and the
National Institutes of
Health. He noted the association recommends diet
and exercise to treat prediabetes.
The association did
not and does not operate
independently regarding
diagnosis criteria and
guidelines,
treatment
Ratner said in an email.
Low T:Just before the
term Low T became omnipresent on nightly TV
commercials, a company
that sold testosterone
products funded a national study of men, conducted in doctors offices. Suddenly 38 percent of all
men age 45 and over in
America were found to
have a condition that
could be treated by the
companys product. All
five of the studys authors
had financial ties to SolPharmaceuticals,
vay
which marketed the testosterone gel. This included a consultant, an employee and three who
worked for a company
hired by Solvay to do the
study.

BED, IED,
ADHD and more
There are more, many
more.
Too angry? You may
have IED, intermittent
explosive disorder. Too
hungry? It may be BED,
binge-eating disorder.
Theres female sexual
interest/arousal disorder
(low sex drive in women)
and adult ADHD (a lack of
focus). Theres overactive
bladder disorder (you go
to the restroom...a lot),
and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (a severe
form of premenstrual
symptoms).
If you believe the medical literature, those six
conditions, plus low testosterone and pre-diabetes, affect more than 180
million Americans, a figure equivalent to 77 percent of the adult population in the United States.
But the conditions can
also be viewed as relatively common variations between people that have
been redefined into formal disorders, a process
known as medicalization.
The result: Increased
drug sales.
For instance, sales of
the drug Vyvanse, approved to treat adult
ADHD and binge-eating
disorder, more than doubled from 2010 to 2014, going from $986 million to
$2.1 billion.
There are powerful
interests that want the
numbers to be inflated,
said Allan Horwitz, a professor of sociology at Rutgers University and author of Creating Mental
Illness. All of these estimates push the numbers
upward.
A 2012 survey of 6,200
doctors, nurses, lay people and legislators in Finland found wide disagreement over whether dozens of so-called states of
being should even be
considered diseases, including ADHD and overactive bladder.
The paper, published
in the journal BMJ Open,
showed how diseases also
can be defined by their
times, noting that homosexuality was labeled a
disease by the American
Psychiatric Association
until 1973.
Theres a playbook for
selling disease, said Carl

Elliott, a professor of bioethics at the University of


Medical
Minnesota
School.
You destigmatize the
condition,
he
said.
Broaden it to include a
much larger patient population, rebrand it or give it
a name that is less embarrassing to people people would rather have
overactive bladder than
be called incontinent.
Then youre all set for
selling your treatment.
It was in the late 1990s
that incontinence or unstable bladder became
the nicer-sounding overactive bladder.
Two urologists thought
the new name was more
intuitive and sounded
less like a psychiatric disorder. They convinced the
International Continence
Society to give it a new
definition, and the two
pushed related research
that found the new condition affected 33 million
people in the United
States alone.
One of the two urologists, Alan Wein of the
University of Pennsylvania, now acknowledges
the estimates overstate
the market, but noted
many patients do have
bladder issues that require treatment.
Kari Tikkinen, a urologist and epidemiologist at
the University of Helsinki
in Finland, researched
overactive bladder and
found the recent estimates of how many have it
17 percent of adults
were vastly inflated. In
his view, the real figure is
less than half that.
While inflated numbers may lead some people to get earlier treatment, they also can cause
healthy people to think
they are sick, said Tikkinen. That can lead to added costs and the unnecessary use of drugs that subject patients to potential
harms.

Expanding
the market
For drug companies,
bigger numbers mean
larger markets and can
put more pressure on the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve
new products.
For advocacy groups
and medical societies,
many of which get drug
company funding, having
more people with a condition can make it seem
more mainstream and
lead to more financial
support. And for university researchers, coming
up with a big number can
be good for your career.
The more of a splash
they make, the more likely they are to get papers
published, to get hired by
universities or to get promoted and the more
likely they are to get research funding, said
Massachusetts psychiatrist Daniel Carlat, author
of Unhinged: The Trouble with Psychiatry A
Doctors Revelation about
a Profession in Crisis.
When it comes to psychiatric conditions, the
Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the
American Psychiatric Association, is considered
the bible for practitioners.
In the fifth edition of
the manual, which came
out in 2013, the definitions
of binge-eating disorder,
explosive
intermittent
disorder and adult ADHD
were all altered in a way
that could increase the
number of people with
those conditions.

Cops: Man filmed showering teenager


ALEX N. GECAN
@GEEKSTERTWEETS

HIGHLANDS - A
Highlands man is facing
child endangerment and
other charges after authorities said he secreted
a cellphone in a bathroom
to film a young girl showering.
Joseph J. Lynch, 36, of
Fourth Street is facing

two counts of child endangerment and one of invading privacy, according to


court records.
Borough police arrested Lynch on Aug. 29, the
same day they allege he
hid the phone in the bathroom where a 15-year-old
girl undressed and showered, according to the
complaint against him.
Lynchs first court ap-

pearance was Tuesday,


according to the complaint.
Court records show he
was still was lodged at
Monmouth County Correctional Institution on
Thursday on two bails totaling $200,000.
Alex N. Gecan:
732-643-4043;
agecan@gannettnj.com

None of these
conditions was
considered part of
mainstream
medicine just 20
years ago.
Nearly 70 percent of
the experts of the task
force that produced it had
financial ties to the drug
industry, such as working
as consultants and speakers, accordingto a 2012
analysis in the journal
PLoS Medicine.
Darrel
Psychiatrist
Regier, vice chairman of
the task force that updated the manual, said members were not trying to
conditions.
medicalize
The goal, he said, was to
focus on defining the
symptoms of the disor-

ders and not trying to get


drugs approved to treat
them.
It is not quite so simple that these were always
just normal conditions on
the extreme end of normal, he said. Some of
these people had serious
medical conditions and
were stigmatized and not
treated because nobody
knew what to do with
them.
The American Psychiatric Association tried to
minimize financial conflicts, he said, by limiting
to $10,000 a year the
amount that panelists
could have received from
drug companies. In addition, task force members
couldnt hold more than
$50,000 in drug company
stock.
We did everything we
could at the time to make
known our concerns and
to put limits on that were
unprecedented, Regier
said. And there are still

people who said we didnt


do enough.
Those skeptics include
the authors of the PLoS
Medicine study detailing
the conflicts, which they
labeled a pernicious
problem.
Its not about research
fraud, said study co-author Lisa Cosgrove, a bioethicist at the University
of Massachusetts, in an interview. Its just that we
have a wealth of data now
that clearly shows industry-funded researchers
draw industry-friendly
conclusions.
John Fauber is a reporter for the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel. Kristina
Fiore is a reporter for
MedPage Today.
This story was reported
as a joint project of the
Journal Sentinel and MedPage Today, which provides a clinical perspective for physicians on
breaking medical news at
medpagetoday.com.

ASBURY PARK PRESS APP.COM

6A FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Tweets

cover story
Drugs
Continued from Page 1A

Britt conspired to distribute the drugs to users and


smaller drug dealers in
the two counties, relying
on a network of hotel
rooms and apartments to
store, process, package
and distribute the drugs.
Britt, who went by the
moniker True, operated
the organization for nearly four years with co-ringleader Rufus Young, 43, of
Asbury Park, who had
nicknames,
three
Equan, E-Money and
Kintock, Fishman said.
Young pleaded guilty in
late 2015 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Jan. 8.
Prior to beginning a
term of incarceration of
his own, Fishman said,
Britt had transferred dayto-day operations and certain heroin customers to
Young.
Separately, between
March and May 2014, law
enforcement arrested 19
other members, Fishman
said. All 19 men were involved with the organization and found responsible for conspiring to sell
heroin, and for various related drug offenses.
On May 25, Fishman
said a federal jury convicted Thomas Shannon,
37, of Jersey City, of various offenses related to the
Britt-Young operation, including providing large
quantities of heroin.
Britt was sentenced to
state prison on March 20,
2013, Fishman said. Prior
to 2013, he was sentenced
in 2011, 2014 and 2007, for
various offenses, according to public records.
From prison, Britt directed Young closely, using a contraband cellphone, Fishman said. In

Britt, who went by


the moniker
True, operated
the organization
for nearly four
years with
co-ringleader
Rufus Young, 43, of
Asbury Park, who
had three
nicknames,
Equan,
E-Money and
Kintock,
Fishman said.
Young pleaded
guilty in late 2015
and was sentenced
to 10 years in
prison on Jan. 8.

the conversations, Britt


told Young how to operate the organization and
provided tips for attracting new customers and
staying out of the path of
law enforcement.
Britt advised Young
to rely on trusted, lowerlevel members to further distribute heroin,
Fishman said.
On another occasion,
Britt referred Young to a
new heroin supplier
Britt previously knew in
prison and arranged for
the two men to meet up
in Newark in early January 2014, Fishman said.
Fishman gave credit
for the successful arrests to special agents
from the FBIs Resident
Office in Red Bank and
Timothy Gallagher in
Newark.
Katie Park:
908-801-4853;
kpark@gannettnj.com

Continued from Page 1A

user that stated how did


Americans get them
selves into this big mess
by letting an islamic
black monkey to power
(sic). That post from a
user was timestamped
Aug. 6. Another post
from a different user on
June 11 used an obscene
suggestion followed by
the n-word, with a like
from DiBellas account.
A third like was
made to a June 24 post
from another user, who
made a sexual suggestion regarding Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton
and black voters.
DiBella said the tweet
about Obama was altered in Photoshop to
look as if it was liked.
But when asked about
the tweet post that links
back to his personal
Twitter account, DiBella
said he has not been able
to find posts on his page
and claimed they do not
exist.
In a follow-up call
Thursday morning, DiBella said his account
was likely hacked.
I havent written
anything that is racist
and I havent liked anything that is racist. If
there is some electronic
re-creation out there it
was either altered or my
has
been
account
hacked, he said. Someone has clearly altered,
Photoshopped and likely
hacked my account to
re-create or suggest that
I liked things of a disgusting, racist nature
that I did not. It is regrettable in this day and age
that people can use technology as a weapon.
The posts and likes
from DiBellas account
appeared to be active on
Twitter Thursday morning.
Clicking on DiBellas
image next to the Twitter like takes a user
back to DiBellas personal Twitter page.
I, unequivocally, did

not post that kind of a


like on an item. I have not
liked anything that has
links to that kind of language nor would I, DiBella said. If you look at
the items I have personally created, none of them
use that kind of language.
Nor would I like an item
that speaks to that kind of
language.
DiBella, 47, a Republican who served as Howells mayor from 2005 to
2008, was appointed by
the Monmouth County
Freeholders to the 12member Board of Trustees in October 2013. The
trustees, an unpaid volunteer position, develop policies and decide the $82
million budget for the
two-year college.
He is also managing director and executive vice
president of the benefits
consulting practice at
Conner Strong & Buckelew, a national insurance
advisory firm based in
New Jersey, according to
his Brookdale biography.
Brookdale is funded by
student fees and tuition

and a combination of tax


dollars from Monmouth
County and New Jersey.
The office of Brookdale President Maureen
Murphy released the following statement:
Brookdale Community College has recently
been advised that Trustee
DiBellas liked status of
certain highly offensive
and inappropriate Twitter
statements were manufactured and/or his Twitter account may have
been hacked by a thirdparty to create the appearance albeit false
that Trustee DiBella
liked these statements.
These false liked status
tweets are currently under review to ascertain
the identity of the thirdparty and/or parties responsible for these very
serious infractions. Trustee DiBella immediately
notified the Monmouth
County Prosecutors Office of this situation and
they are investigating the
matter at his request.
DiBella is active on his
Twitter account, posting

largely about national politics. He frequently is


critical of Clinton and
Obama, with more than
7,000 followers. His Twitter name is @JosephM
DiBella.
DiBellas account also
shows posts with comments about civil rights
activist Al Sharpton, the
Black Lives Matters
movement and, more recently, San Francisco
49ers quarterback Colin
Kaepernick over the professional athletes decision to sit through the national anthem.
DiBella supports those
tweets, which he said express his personal views.
He said he is not speaking
on behalf of Brookdale.
As a citizen and as an
American, I have a First
Amendment right to post
my views on the news of
the day, he said.
The issue, however,
arose when others on
Twitter responded to DiBella. The responses include references questioning if Hillary Clinton
is a woman, calling Sharpton racist and include
references to the national
bathroom
transgender
debate.
On the social media
site, DiBellas profile picture icon appears next to
the like for those tweets
and links back to his Twitter account.
Other tweets that appear to have a like from
DiBellas account include
a video from a Sharpton
speech in 1992 with a message F--- off u racist
N----- and monkey emojis.
The Brookdale Community College Faculty
also
deAssociation
nounced the language
used in the tweets.
If Mr. DiBella is indeed responsible for
these likes, then the faculty association believes he
should step down from his
post as trustee at Brookdale Community College, BCCFA president
Brandon Gramer said.
These posts are clearly
in violation of the colleges vision and mission,
and anyone who holds
such views is not qualified
to make decisions on behalf of our students and
employees.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 7A

APP.COM ASBURY PARK PRESS

local

Freehold man, 24, charged with luring teen


Used social media app to contact minor, authorities say
KATIE PARK
@KATHSPARK

FREEHOLD - A 24year-old man arrested and


charged on Aug. 18 for luring a 14-year-old girl using
social media mobile app
Kik was transferred to the
Monmouth County Correctional Facility on
Monmouth
Thursday,
County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni
said.
Bryan W. Sanderson,
who was serving a sentence for violating his parole at Garden State
Youth Correctional Facility in Bordentown, was
charged with luring a juvenile, endangering the
welfare of a child and violating his conditions of
lifelong parole supervision, Gramiccioni said.
The Prosecutors Office, the New Jersey State

Pedestrian
killed in
crash in
Waretown
ANDREW FORD
@ANDREWFORDNEWS

WARETOWN - A 76year-old pedestrian was


fatally injured after he
was hit by a car while
crossing Route 9.
Chakrabarty
Dayal
was hit by a 2013 Hyundai
Sonata near Clearwater
Drive about 8 p.m.
Wednesday, according to
a statement by Ocean
County Prosecutors Office.
The Hyundai was
driven by an unnamed 36year-old Barnegat man.
The car was heading
south on Route 9 and hit
Chakrabarty as he tried to
cross the road from west
to east. There is no crosswalk at the intersection,
according to the statement.
Chakrabarty was taken to Southern Ocean
County Hospital and was
pronounced dead at 9:16
p.m., according to the
statement.
The corner from which
Chakrabarty entered the
road had little lighting
and he wore dark clothing, according to the
statement.
Preliminary, the pedestrian is at fault for failing to yield to traffic, the
statement said.
Andrew Ford:
732-643-4281;
aford3@gannettnj.com

2 charged
with drug
dealing in
school zone
ANDREW FORD
@ANDREWFORDNEWS

NEPTUNE
TOWNSHIP - Township police
say they busted two
school zone drug dealers.
On Friday, members of
the township police departments Street Crimes
Unit arrested on Neptune
Boulevard Yusef Kearney, 40, of Orange and Michael Lambert, 57, of Asbury Park, according to a
police statement. They
were charged with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with intent
to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent
to distribute in a school
zone, according to the
statement.
Police seized $6,551
during the investigation.
Both men were taken
to Monmouth County jail
on $37,500 bail.
Andrew Ford:
732-685-4634;
aford3@gannettnj.com

Parole Board and the


Union County Police Department
investigated
Sandersons activities after police initially found
him in a car with the 14year-old during a traffic
stop on Sept. 9, 2015,

Gramiccioni said.
inquiries
Further
showed Sanderson had a
pre-existing conviction
and was on lifelong parole
supervision, Gramiccioni
said.
Police found several

photos and videos on


Sandersons phone legally
considered to be child pornography, Gramiccioni
said. He said investigators are searching for
more information about
Sanderson and any other
minors he might have contacted.
If Sanderson is found

guilty of the charges


pending against him he
could go to prison for five
to 10 years, Gramiccioni
said. He is being held at
the Monmouth County
Correctional Institution
in lieu of bail.
Anyone with information is asked to contact
Detective Michael Acqua-

Bryan
Sanderson,
24, of
Freehold

viva of the Monmouth


County Prosecutors Office at 732-431-7160, ext.
2233.
Katie Park:
kpark@gannettnj.com;
908-801-4853

ASBURY PARK PRESS APP.COM

8A FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

cover story

Wall cops seek


leads on burglary

COURTESY WALL TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT

Police are seeking leads on two suspects in a burglary Monday at Monmouth Executive Airport.

ALEX N. GECAN
@GEEKSTERTWEETS

WALL - Police are seeking leads on a


burglary that left a home-building company bereft of tools and safe full of
cash.
Around 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, several
men broke into a contractor business
that rents a building from the Monmouth Executive Airport at 1717 Route
34, according to a statement from township police.
The suspects removed a large
amount of tools and a safe, according
to Detective Lt. Greg Carpino. The unknown actors fled the scene in a work
van of unknown make and model.
Airport officials identified the tenant as Axis Builders. The companys
owner, Dan Sachkowski, said the
thieves had rolled out heavy-duty tools
compressors, a generator, a table
saw, a jackhammer and more - and a
safe full of cash and valuable documents.
The safe was actually bolted and ep-

oxied to the floor, Sachkowski said.


They went and got a sledgehammer
and a concrete pry bar.
Surveillance photographs and videos
of the suspects are grainy and few details are obvious.
One of the suspects appears to have a
full beard and husky build and is wearing what looks like a sweatshirt with a
logo on the left breast and a baseball
cap. Another suspect seems to be cleanshaven with a more slender build, wearing a hat, short-sleeved shirt and baggy
trousers.
Sachkowsky said the money in the
safe had been deposits on three house
projects, and he did not know how he
was going to pay for the jobs now.
Im going to have to somehow, some
way, get a loan or a credit line, he said.
But he figured it would take several
years to pay them off.
Anyone with information is asked to
call township detectives at 732-4494800.
Alex N. Gecan: 732-643-4043;
agecan@gannettnj.com

OPRA
Continued from Page 1A

requested through OPRA are open to


the public.
Free press advocates and public
records experts say its an unusual response that requires document-seekers to be in court to defend their OPRA
request at their own expense. Ordinarily, a government agency is required
to provide records or state why they
should remain confidential. At that
point, a requester can decide to sue
or not.
Under this scenario, a requester
has to hire an attorney, pay court filing
fees, and expend time and effort on a
court battle they didnt decide to initiate, but was started in a government
effort to keep public records secret,
Adam Marshall, staff attorney for the
Washington-based Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said
Thursday. That doesnt serve anyones interest.
Both Marshall and Robert Freeman,
executive director of the New York
Committee on Open Government, said
the Colts Neck response is unique, but
they noted there is a trend nationwide
of records custodians becoming creative in ways to thwart information requests.
Sometimes state and local entities
launch these pro-active secrecy efforts to withhold public records, Marshall said. It is really unfortunate
when the decision to do that is made.
Id like to see freedom of information laws with teeth. But generally
speaking, those types of laws in this
country are few and far between,
Freeman said.
Two state senators, Loretta Weinberg of Bergen County and Ronald
Rice of Essex County, both Democrats,
said they plan to track the case to determine if new laws are warranted.
Weinberg is the author of a pending
bill, (S-1046), that would broaden public access to public records, establish a
state public finance website and create
a program for development of local
government websites.
What happens to an ordinary citizen with that kind of a legal maneuver? Weinberg said. Youre stopping
the people who dont have any capacity
to go into court to defend their interests in making a request. It doesnt
sound appropriate to me.
This is something I will certainly
want to look into to see what the outcome is, to see if a prohibition should
be incorporated into an updated OPRA
law, she said.
Colts Neck attorney James L. Plosia
Jr. filed the suit even though an appellate court ruled last year that a government custodian responding to a public
records request cant seek a declaratory judgment. In April, the state supreme court agreed to hear the case.
The lawsuit by Colts Neck seeks to stall
the response to the Press records request until the states highest court
weighs in.
The idea that a government entity
believes its reasonable to haul into
court someone who requests a record,
that should be a concern to everybody, said George White, executive
director of the New Jersey Press Association, which represents most daily

The idea that a government


entity believes its
reasonable to haul into court
someone who requests a
record, that should be a
concern to everybody.
GEORGE WHITE,

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE

NEW JERSEY PRESS ASSOCIATION, WHICH REPRESENTS


MOST DAILY AND WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS IN THE STATE

and weekly newspapers in the state.


The records sought concern Police
Chief Kevin Sauter, who was ordered by
the Township Committee last month to
serve a five-day suspension after allegations that he didnt obtain proper approval before attending a conference for law
enforcement leaders last year.
I dont know why we need to make
someone go to court to spend time and
money to get information that a judge
more than likely would say the person deserved to get in the first place, Rice said.
Its troublesome to me. I think its another barrier to get around what we in the
Legislature have done creating the
OPRA law and in continuing to strengthen it. Maybe we should put a bill in that
says the government agency has to pay
the legal costs.
During Sauters disciplinary hearing
in April, which he chose to make public,
the township accused him of failing to get
approval from the Township Committee
to attend the International Association of
Chiefs of Police, failing to use his vacation days for the conference and calling
an on-duty police officer to pick up him,
his wife and another police chief from
the airport upon their return.
In August, the Township Committee
approved disciplinary action against
Sauter, following OHagans recommendation. The Press has been unable to get a
copy of that recommendation. The recommendation was also requested by Jeffrey Sauter, Chief Sauters brother, and
Robert Verry, a retired New Jersey police chief. Jeffrey Sauter and Verry were
named in the lawsuit alongside the Press
as interested parties.
The Press on Thursday denied the
township more time to respond to the records request.
In an emailed letter to a reporter, the
township said it wanted more time, saying that its lawyer is asking a Superior
Court judge to determine whether the
record is public. Until the judge issues a
decision, the record cannot be provided,
the township wrote, seeking to extend its
response to Sept. 23.
Under the records law, the township
had seven business days to provide the
record or issue a reason for the denial.
While it is common for agencies to ask
for an extension of time, the Asbury Park
Press denied the extension.
The Press denial of an extension likely will not affect the delay in providing
the documents. As of the end of Thursday, the township issued no response to
the denial.
Bob Jordan: bjordan@gannettnj.com

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 13A

APP.COM ASBURY PARK PRESS

local

New preschool opens at Brookdale


Replaces program shut
during reorganization
KEN SERRANO
@KENSERRANOAPP

A new preschool is now


open at Brookdale Community College, replacing
the center that was shut
down during a schoolwide reorganization approved in December 2014.
The Montessori Childrens Learning Center is
on the schools campus in
the Lincroft section of
Middletown.
The center is open to
children from 12 months
to 6 years old from September through June.
Early care runs from 7 to
8:30 a.m. After care and
after-school enrichment
programs in art, music
and literacy run from 3 to
6 p.m.
Aside from the full
daytime program, the
center has three-hour
child care slots in the
morning and evening to
accommodate those students taking classes at the
Lincroft campus who
have children. Rates start
at $10 an hour, with a 10
percent discount for current Brookdale students.
Montessori education
focuses on a childs interests and activities and
freedom with responsibility over formal teaching methods, said Pamela
Wang, center director.
But Wang said the new
program will also center
on what she called kindness curriculum based
on mindfulness, a teaching focus used and studied
in preschools in Madison,
Wis., where she lived before coming to New Jersey. The term mindfulness, becoming more in
vogue, refers to awareness of the present moment and a reflection on
feelings and thoughts.
To achieve that, yoga
will be part of the curriculum, as well as books that
focus on kindness, grace
and courtesy, she said. A

2 vehicles
collide in
Stafford,
3 injured
KATIE PARK
@KATHSPARK

STAFFORD - Two cars


collided head-on around
Mayetta Landing Road
around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday,
injuring two adults and a
5-year-old child, police
said.
Paige Spano, 20, of
Tuckerton, was driving
south in her 1995 Geo Metro when Eileen King, 51, of
Cedar Run, crossed the
center line in her 2013
Chrysler 300 sedan and
struck Spanos car, police
said. The child was in
Kings car.
Spano was extensively
injured and was airlifted
to Atlantic City Trauma
Center, police said. King
suffered minor damage,
and the child, who was not
in a booster seat, suffered
moderate injuries, police
said. It is unclear if the
child belonged to King.
The child was airlifted
to Jersey Shore Trauma
Center, where police said
they expected the child to
be quickly released.
King was charged with
reckless driving, failure
to stay in her own lane and
failure to properly secure
the child in her car, police
said.
Police said an investigation into the incident is
ongoing. Stafford police
are asking witnesses to
contact 609-597-1189, ext.
8436.
Katie Park:
kpark@gannettnj.com;
908-801-4853

Montessori education
focuses on a childs
interests and activities
and freedom with
responsibility over
formal teaching
methods, said Pamela
Wang, center director.

therapy dog may be used


at the center also, she said.
Were going to try it.
(A therapy dog) can really
calm the children, Wang
said.
The center has three
lead classroom teachers, a
teaching assistant and instructors in reading, nutrition, art, music, Spanish and other subjects, she
said.
Wang can be reached
at 732-224-2963 or at
pamela.wang@
montessoriclc.com.

BROOKDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Montessori Childrens Learning Center at Brookdale Community College is open to children from 12 months to 6 years old.

ASBURY PARK PRESS

APP.COM

14A

FRIDAY 09.09.16

PHOTOS BY MARK R. SULLIVAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A row of parakeets for sale in their cage at Fins and Feathers, a nearly 30-year-old pet store in Red Bank that has been under the
ownership of former employee T.J. Moss since December 2014.

ANIMAL MAGNETISM
T.J. Moss felt
drawn to take over
Red Banks Fins
and Feathers
SUSAN BLOOM CORRESPONDENT

Born and raised in Little Silver, Theodore Joseph


T.J. Moss always loved animals. Growing up, I had
hamsters, dogs, cats, lizards you name it, the 24-yearold recalled.
Between the ages of 14 and 19, Moss landed his
dream job working at nearby Fins and Feathers, a 32year-old pet store, grooming salon and supply shop run
by owner Helen Davis, where he also became known
for an affinity for certain reptiles. I often inherited
and rescued turtles that people brought to the shop,
laughed Moss, who now lives in Shrewsbury along with
22 turtles, two dogs, two tortoises and one lizard. All I
ever wanted to do was own Fins and Feathers and my
parents house.
Moss achieved half of his lifelong dream when, in
December 2014, Davis decided to focus more on the dog
grooming side of the business and offered to sell her
shop to her former employee. Having taken a full-time
job managing Garden State Cold Storage in Newark for
two years after high school, Id saved my money, have
a very big and supportive family, and was ready when
Helen called, he said.

A black kitten up for adoption at the store in Red Bank.

Sales associates El Chism (left) and Rachel Grey work on


clipping the nails of a customers rabbit.
FINS AND FEATHERS
Location: 134 Monmouth St., Red Bank
Phone: 732-842-4197
Opened: 1984
Owner: T.J. Moss
Website: www.finsandfeatherspetsandgrooming.com
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays through Fridays; 9:30 a.m. to
6 p.m. Saturdays

Healthy, strong and happy

Level head and open heart

Fins and Feathers owner T.J. Moss and shop dog Panda.

In the 20 months since taking over, the landmark


3,000-square-foot shop continues to offer everything
from fish, reptiles and birds to rabbits, guinea pigs,
hamsters, snakes and more as well as a full range of pet
food and supplies.
The big difference? With the help of three employees, two dog groomers (of which Davis is one) and two
bathers, weve doubled our grooming business in the
past year and a half, handling an estimated 6 to 10 dogs
per day during the summer and sometimes over 20 per
day during the holidays, Moss said. We dont use cage
dryers like some of the larger chains do, but rather dry
all of our dogs by hand with high-pressure blow dryers
and they come out looking great. We also offer boarding
for birds, small animals and even fish, conduct kitten
adoptions through the store, and support Red Bankbased Home Free Animal Rescue by providing free
baths for dogs, discounted food, and other donations.
We definitely encourage people to adopt rescue animals, said Moss, who describes his own rescue pet as
the perfect dog and whose shop doesnt support the
sale of dogs or cats.
While he learned a lot while working at the shop during his teens, Moss said that operating a pet store requires a level head and an open heart, because you

never know whats going to walk through the door. A


customer of ours recently brought in her six-foot iguana on a leash and it got so nervous by a dog in the shop
that it started thrashing around and cracked its own tail
off, he said. One of our customers brings in their
goats, and another has a wallaby. We attract every type
of customer.
As a patron for over 20 years, Diana Welch of Colts
Neck is among Fins and Feathers longtime supporters.
We started out with rabbits in a hutch outside to appease our four kids and our collection of pets steadily
grew to include bearded dragons, lizards, birds, fish,
turtles and a dog, Welch said.
Welch shops at Fins and Feathers at least once a
week for supplies and brings her dog there for grooming every two to three months. They have everything I
need or else they can get it for me and its nice to have a
mom-and-pop shop to go to instead of the chains and to
have a personal relationship with the staff, she said.
They offer great service and products, have a wonderful staff, and T.J. is very warm, friendly and helpful
with a great sense of humor. He always greets customers with a smile.

While certain types of pets remain perennially popular, some animals become trendy when one person
gets one and then all of their friends have to get one
too, Moss said. Weve sold a lot of rabbits that way recently and customers have also been very receptive to
the five different types of chameleons we just brought
in.
As in so many industries today, Moss said that its
challenging to stay competitive with larger pet store
chains as well as online outlets, all of whom claim to
offer the lowest prices. But our dog and cat food is definitely $1 cheaper than any chain store and we hope that
this will help draw people into the store so that they can
see the other services we offer, such as pet grooming
and boarding.
A more location-specific challenge is the recently installed pay stations on Monmouth Street that have
made it increasingly difficult for customers to park,
though Moss said that customers have been dutifully
working with the new system.
Among great opportunities ahead, wed love to open
a second location in the future, Moss said. And there
are always interesting new products coming out. I go to
a lot of industry trade shows and its exciting to see all of
the new pet foods being introduced, from grain-free
and raw to vegan varieties.
Among his favorite parts of the job? Being my own
boss is great and no day is the same, he said. I also love
all of our loyal customers many of whom knew me
from when I started here 10 years ago and a few of
whom have been coming here since the very beginning.

JCP&L gives up on push


to transfer power lines
DAVID P. WILLIS @DPWILLIS732

Faced with opposition and an approaching deadline,


Jersey Central Power & Light on Thursday withdrew its
request to transfer its high-voltage transmission lines
to another company, a move that critics had said was designed to help it get around state rules to build power
lines.
In a letter to state Board of Public Utilities President
Richard Mroz, JCP&L said it had hoped to be able complete the move to Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission
LLC by January, but that now doesnt seem possible.
As the BPU is aware, FirstEnergy has received final approvals from both the Pennsylvania Public Utility
Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, states the letter from JCP&Ls attorney, Gregory Eisenstark. However, at this juncture, nearly fifteen months after the original Petition was filed, there
appears to be no prospect of resolving this matter in
New Jersey to accommodate the above time-frame.
JCP&Ls decision does not affect its plans to build the
proposed $111 million Monmouth County Reliability
Project, a 10-mile high-voltage transmission line between Aberdeen and Red Bank along the NJ Transits
North Jersey Coast Line tracks now being considered
by state regulators. FirstEnergy remains committed
to transmission plans in New Jersey, spokesman Ron
Morano said. It includes a number of key transmission
initiative around the state, including the Monmouth
County Reliability Project.
Stefanie Brand, the director of the state Division of
Rate Counsel, said JCP&Ls decision on MAIT was
good news for the ratepayers of New Jersey.
I am very pleased, Brand said. I do think we raised
a lot of important questions about this transaction.
Under the proposal, JCP&L, the Morristown-based

utility wanted to transfer its transmission assets, valued at $750 million and consisting of 2,569 circuit miles
of high-voltage lines and transmission towers to MidAtlantic Interstate Transmission, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Transmission. JCP&L would have leased the
associated land to the company too. If it had been approved, MAIT would have built and owned the Monmouth line.
JCP&L, and its parent company FirstEnergy Corp.,
had wanted regulators to rule that MAIT is a public utility, giving it to the right to use eminent domain and circumvent local zoning laws to build power lines. So, after
first getting the brush off by the board, JCP&L proposed to transfer five large business customers to
MAIT, giving the transmission company the retail electric customers it says its needs to comply with state law.
In New Jersey, a public utility must have distribution
customers.
Two FirstEnergy utilities, Pennsylvania Electric Co.
and Metropolitan Edison, have received a nod from
Pennsylvania regulators to transfer their transmission
systems to Mid-Atlantic Interstate. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved, too.
The state Division of Rate Counsel had recommended that the board deny the companys request, citing
concerns the transaction did not fairly value JCP&Ls
lines, would hurt ratepayers and was anti-competitive.
If approved, MAIT would have been overseen primarily by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Brand said. The ability to use eminent domain and get
around local zoning laws are two very significant powers that come along with being a public utility, she said.
Theres so many ways in which this transaction sold
the ratepayers short that I think its just better for everyone if the BPU retains its regulatory authority and
ratepayers get the benefit of that, she said.

Theres so many
ways in which
this transaction
sold the
ratepayers short.
STEFANIE BRAND
DIRECTOR OF THE STATE DIVISION OF
RATE COUNSEL
DAVID P. WILLIS/STAFF PHOTO

JCP&L has dropped a plan to


transfer its transmission lines
to a related company.

JCP&L had said a transmission-only company would


be able to complete projects more quickly and at less
cost to ratepayers. FirstEnergy is disappointed that
New Jersey regulators determined that a transmissiononly company cannot be considered a public utility in
the state, Morano said. As weve said a separate transmission-only company carries a more favorable credit
rating, can borrow money for less and result in lower
costs to customers.
We will begin to work with the BPU and other stakeholders in New Jersey to try to find a way to deliver on
the benefits that MAIT would have otherwise delivered
but using a structure that can be supported by all the
interested parties, Morano said.
At a public hearing last week, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., spoke against the proposal, as did some
residents from Monmouth County who also are fighting
JCP&Ls Monmouth County Reliability Project.
The New Jersey Sierra Club called on JCP&L to
abandon its plans for the Monmouth line as well.
This sale would have been a complete rip-off of
ratepayers. Now that they have ended this proposal,
this makes their destructive transmission line proposal
even more unneeded, said Jeff Tittel, director of the
New Jersey Sierra Club, in a statement.
David P. Willis: 732-643-4039; dwillis@gannett
nj.com; facebook.com/dpwillis732

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