Arresting News: Prostitution, Cocaine, Marijuana Possession, Dealing & More

The following recent arrests were made by Red Bank police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction. 

• Esperanza Avendano-Morales, 47, of Freehold, was arrested on April 28 in the area of Shrewsbury Avenue and charged with engaging in prostitution and contempt of court.

Patrolman Sean Hauschildt made the arrest.

• Edwin Ventura-Egochega, 41, of Staten Island, NY, was arrested on April 28 in the area of Locust Avenue and charged with promoting prostitution and contempt of court.

Patrolman Jhonatan Quispe made the arrest.

• Oscar Ciriaco-Molina, 27, of Red Bank, was arrested on April 30 in the area of Monmouth Street and charged with hindering apprehension and contempt of court.

Lt. Errico Vescio made the arrest.

• Alfredo Hernandez-Codero, 38, of Red Bank, was arrested on April 26 in the area of Shrewsbury Avenue and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest by Patrolman Cevin Albert.

• Veirick Kirlew, 26, of Red Bank, was arrested on April 24 in the area of Newman Springs Road and charged with possession of a CDS, Ecstasy, possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and possession of a CDS with intent to distribute by Patrolman Benjamin Springer.

• Pepita Gadson, 22, of Red Bank, was arrested on April 23 in the area of Montgomery Terrace and charged with terroristic threats by Patrolman Jhonatan Quispe.

• Zachary Roslin, 23, of West Palm Beach, FL, was arrested on April 23 in the area of Bridge Avenue and charged with possession of a CDS (cocaine), and possession of of under 50 grams of marijuana by Patrolman Sean Hauschildt.

• Alvin Ross, 25, of Eatontown, was arrested on April 25 in the area on Monmouth Street on a contempt of court charge by Patrolman Gary Watson.

• Maximo Sanchez-Gonzales, 18, of Red Bank, was arrested on April 29 in the area of Bridge Avenue on a contempt of court charge by Patrolman Shane Dengel.

• Leanni Munoz, 28, of Red Bank, was arrested on April 29 in the area of Monmouth Street on a contempt of court charge by Sgt. Juan Sardo.

 

Police: Patient Flees Hospital with Heart Monitor in Tow

The following recent criminal incidents were reported by Red Bank police:

• An incident of criminal mischief — air let out of tires on a parked vehicle Montgomery Terrace — was reported on April 24.

Patrolman Michael Zadlock took the report.

• A theft was reported to have occurred at a Tower Hill Drive residence sometime between April 23 and 25. The victim reported that someone stole cash and a pair of gold and diamond earrings from the residence.

Patrolman Shane Dengel took the report.

• A theft was reported to have occurred at Riverview (Medical Center) Plaza on April 25. Staff of the hospital reported that a patient who left from the Emergency Room took a heart monitor, valued at $3,000, and never returned.

Patrolman Benjamin Springer took the report.

• A theft was reported to have occurred at a McLaren Street residence. The victim reported that an unknown person, within the past few weeks, stole a bicycle, circular saw and Craftsman tool box with tools in it from the garage.

Patrolman Shane Dengel took the report.

The R-FH Area Weekend: Townwide Yard Sale, Arts Fest, Historic Places Tours & More

The weekend is going to be a sunny one, so they say.

And there will be plenty of opportunity to take advantage of the great outdoors via some popular annual events.

Keep the traditions going and get out to a few …

Friday

Hanga Loose Fridays continue starting at 7 p.m. at Umberto’s on River Road in Fair Haven. The Friday night get-together was created to inspire and pay forward the community spirit of the deceased beloved pizza-making man who knew everybody’s name and remembered everything about them, down to food preference — Silvio Fabbri.

Join in the fun and “Hanga Loose” a little, as Silvio would say.

• The Monmouth Players’ production of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter is on it’s closing weekend. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, now’s the time.

Curtain for Friday and Saturday performances is 8:15 p.m.

Saturday

• The town-wide yard sales in Fair Haven and Red Bank are both slated for Saturday. And it looks like the weather will suit the events just fine.

Fair Haven’s sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lists may be picked up at borough hall of who’s on the list. Or, you can just drive around and look for the blue and white balloons that will be marking the spots around town.

Fair Haven officials have announced that they will be extending the hours of the DPW bulk drop-off ’til about 5, so people who have leftovers will have a chance to unload what they haven’t sold.

And, next door in Red Bank, the town-wide sale is happening as well. Fair Haven has handed over its list of sale spots to Red Bank so that Red Bank shoppers can come over and vice versa.

Red Bank’s sale ends at 3 p.m., though.

The Spring Arts Festival comes to Thompson Park on Newman Springs Road in the Lincroft section of Middletown.

The festival, on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., features the work of local artists and crafters in a juried show.

Live music complements the daylong event. Entry is free. Check out what area talent has been creating lately.

The People’s Choice Car Show will be set on the grounds of Poricy Park, on Oak Hill Road in Middletown, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Old and new cars will be on display. Stop over and see if you know anyone there and their cars, from antique to new.

• The Weekend in Old Monmouth event, showcasing historic places and landmarks across Monmouth County, is set for noon to 5 p.m.

Two places in Rumson will be featured: Sea Bright Lawn, Tennis & Cricket Club and the First Presbyterian Church.

Check out any other of the 40 historic places in the county (by clicking on the green) that will be featured and see the map.

• Closing night for Monmouth Players’ Present Laughter. See above.

Sunday

Spring Arts Festival at Thompson Park (see above) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

People’s Choice Car Show at Poricy Park, Middletown, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. See the above entry.

The Weekend in Old Monmouth event, showcasing historic places and landmarks across Monmouth County, from noon to 5 p.m.

Check out any other of the 40 historic places in the county (by clicking on the green) that will be featured and see the map.

Make SPCA’s Maeve a Part of Your Family?

Meet Maeve.

She’s a 6-year-old labrador mix who is a transplant from another shelter in the state and needs a home, according to the Monmouth County SPCA website.

She is known as very smart, sweet and loving and knows her basic commands. She wants to be part of an active family, her bio says.

She weighs 62 pounds.

Get in touch with the SPCA if you’d like to adopt this smiley girl. And check out the other animals up for adoption. Many need homes.

 

RFH Students Help Fill Thousands of ‘Empty Bowls’

“Amid a sea of plenty, many in Monmouth County go without. We stand ready to take care of those in need, as long as we continue to get food and funds.” ~ Monmouth County Food Bank Executive Director Carlos Rodriquez.

The figures are in; and, it’s been determined that a Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) fundraiser has put 5,190 meals on the tables of area residents in need via the Monmouth County Food Bank.

The fundraiser, held on March 10 at Rumson’s Bingham Hall, was dubbed Empty Bowls to represent the empty bowls at the tables of many local families struggling to stock their cupboards with food, according to a release from RFH.

It featured original artwork in the form of 150 bowls created by RFH Ceramics students as well as members of the RFH National Art Honor Society.

The bowls, purchased by the public with the proceeds going to the Food Bank, were filled with a variety of soups provided by members of the RFH school community. Bread and desserts were served as well to accompany the soup meal fundraiser.

Both Sickles Market in Little Silver and Cups and Cakes Bakery and Coffee Shop in Rumson served as community sponsors of Empty Bowls, the release said.

The desserts were made and donated by members of the RFH Cooking Club, members of the RFH staff and community, and Cups and Cakes. Sickles provided bread for the event, it added.

Members of the RFH Character Education Club and RFH Cooking Club offered a helping hand at what was a well-attended event.

For more information on how you can help as a volunteer or by making a donation, visit foodbankmoc.org.

A Knollwood Elementary Flashback

First grade with Mrs. Kamin at Knollwood in 1966 Photo/School picture
First grade with Mrs. Kamin at Knollwood in 1966
Photo/School picture

It all just seemed so simple then. Going to school and living in Fair Haven.

We were neighbors and friends. We walked and rode our bikes to school. And we couldn’t wait to find out who our teacher would be. We always found out in time to talk about it at the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair.

So, back in 1966, a class of familiar community faces found out that they had Mrs. Kamin for first grade at Knollwood School.

That year was the beginning of a lot of longstanding friendships and neighborhood bonds. Treasured time.

Treasured time that warrants a look back in our Retro Pic of the Day and an anecdote about remembrance and gratitude. Remember where and how it all started and how lucky we all were to have had one another in our lives, many for a long time.

Mrs. Kamin still lives in Fair Haven. Some of these kids are grownups still living in town. Some have, sadly, passed. Some still have family here. Some are running businesses here and live one or a few towns away.

Recognize anyone? What did you learn from them or your time in that first grade class in Rumson or Fair Haven? What stuck with you most?

Rewind to Rumson Mayor, Oceanic Bridge Reopening

Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl gives a speech at the 2012 opening of the Oceanic Bridge. Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl gives a speech at the 2012 opening of the Oceanic Bridge.
Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl takes a tour of the gatekeeper's quarters of the Oceanic Bridge in 2012. Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl takes a tour of the gatekeeper’s quarters of the Oceanic Bridge in 2012.
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Yes, the Oceanic Bridge is going to need some new imminent, unexpected repairs.

And, yes, that means the bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic for about three weeks, from the day after Memorial Day to June 12, Monmouth County officials have announced.

The much-needed complete replacement of the historic bridge is slated to happen within the next 10 years.

But, about this time three years ago, in 2012, major repairs thought to have taken care of safe travel for the interim, were completed.

The bridge, after being completely closed for a time, reopened to much fanfare.

Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl was up close for the official reopening of the drawbridge section. And he got a tour of the gatekeeper’s quarters.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day takes a look back on that day.

 

Oceanic Bridge to Close Before Summer Takes Hold

Just when they thought the temporary fixes to the Oceanic Bridge were coming to an end, and traffic could proceed as usual, Monmouth County officials have announced that the bridge needs more major work and will be closed from May 26 to June 12.

The April structural steel and concrete deck repair work to the bridge that spans the Navesink from Rumson to Middletown revealed the need for more significant repair work critical to safe traverse.

Two of the bridge’s four main bearings are in imminent need of repair and the other two will be fixed as well, Monmouth County Engineer Joseph Ettore said in a release. The bearings are part of the mechanism that supports the bascule and flanking spans on the bridge approaches, he explained.

The $653,650 needed for the additional repair work on 100-foot bascule span of the 2,712-foot historic drawbridge was authorized by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders at its April 24 meeting.

The Board of Chosen Freeholders authorized $653,650 for the repairs to the 100-foot bascule span of the 2,712-foot historic drawbridge at its April 24 meeting.

“It is prudent to lift the bridge spans and perform the repairs to all four of the bearings,” said Ettore. “The bearings in need of immediate repair are on the eastern side of the bridge, but the county is also going to repair the bearings on the western side of the bridge.

“The nature of the work repair requires that the bridge load be relieved by lifting the bascule and approach spans off of the bearing. To accomplish this, the Oceanic Bridge must be closed to motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic.”

During the period of complete closure, the bridge will still be open for marine traffic, seasonal rules and scheduling will be in effect, the release said.

The hold-off of the total closure until after Memorial Day weekend was scheduled to accommodate the holiday traffic, officials said.

Working around the clock will make it possible to open the bridge to all traffic just a few weeks into the start of the summer season, they added.

Preparation for the bearing work will start immediately and continue weekdays through May 21.

That work may require full overnight closures of the bridge from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. from May 13 to 15 and May 18 through 21, the release said.

The bridge will be open to all traffic from May 22 through Memorial Day on May 25.

Detours will be posted. But, standard alternatives are: from Rumson to Middletown, motorists should travel east and north through Sea Bright and Highlands to Middletown; and, from the Navesink and Locust sections of Middletown, motorists are advised to travel east and south through Middletown, Highlands and Sea Bright to Rumson.

Built in 1939, the Oceanic Bridge has deteriorated due to decades of exposure to saltwater and from accommodating heavier vehicles and traffic volumes than for which it was designed, the release said.

In 2012, extensive rehabilitation work was done to the bascule span, or drawbridge portion, in the center.

It is slated for total replacement within the next 10 years. Area residents have rallied to maintain the original design of the drawbridge.

Monmouth County received notification from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) Board of Trustees in January that $600,000 in federal funding was available to perform a Concept Development Study for the replacement or rehabilitation of the Oceanic Bridge.

 

Police: Local Man Arrested, on Heroin Dealing, Possession Charges; $41.5K Bail

An area man is being held in jail on heroin dealing and possession charges.

Ronald Scott Newell Jr., 47, of Route 36 in the Leonardo section of Middletown, was arrested on April 28, by Middletown police officers Stephen Greenwood and Thomas Hughes of the Anti Crime Unit, and charged with: possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of heroin within 500 feet of a public park, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a hypodermic syringe, a release from Middletown police said.

The arrest came after an investigation by Middletown police into alleged narcotics activity, police said.

Newell was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold.

 

Fair Haven Faces Proposed Tax Hike

By Elaine Van Develde

It’s not yet set in borough books, or even officially been introduced; but, if there are no cuts from the draft, Fair Haven property owners could be facing an average hike of roughly $102 in municipal taxes in 2015.

Average means what quantifies as the current average assessed property value in the borough of $720,900, up from $688,540 last year, Borough Administrator Theresa Casagrande said at Monday night’s Borough Council meeting. It actually means a lower tax rate per $100 of assessed value, but the rise in average assessed value naturally raises the rate on the average home.

What it boils down to is that “the conceptual average home will pay 101.83 more than it did in 2015,” Casagrande said. “I want to make it clear that this is not 1-2-3 Main Street. I could sit here and tell you that our tax rate is going down, but (the reality is that) as your average assessed value increased what we did was we calculated what an average assessed home paid this year versus what the average assessed property paid in 2014.”

In the grander scheme of budget talk, it means that spending plan in the borough, with its budget rough draft, went from about $8.3 to $8.4 million, or roughly a 3 percent increase.

The amount to be raised by taxation, or “appropriations minus revenue,” has been drafted at $6.1 million for 2015, calculating an increase of $231,591.

The number is arrived at from figuring the “combination of a slight increase in appropriations with a reduction in anticipated revenue,” which Casagrande said is down this year by about $148,000. That loss is largely due to the borough not being able to calculate in the $117,000 it got from FEMA last year for Hurricane Sandy damage.

A portion of the tax hike blame rests with unavoidable standard raises in employee health care costs and pensions, which, this year, will cost the borough $437,696.

“It’s a good budget. We have to maintain a level of affordability with quality municipal services,” Council President Jonathan Peters, liaison to the borough Finance Committee, said. “We don’t want to be a high cost, low service town.”

And while most council members at Monday night’s council meeting called the spending plan, in the works since January, a “good budget,” Councilman Robert Marchese said he “cannot stomach raising taxes. This gives me pause. Period. We need to care about seniors and those living on a fixed income. Taxes just can’t keep going up.”

And all that has been considered, Casagrande said, mentioning that there is a senior tax abatement program via the state dubbed Senior Freeze for which many have already applied. The income limit for the program is $85,553.

And, Mayor Ben Lucarelli said, when considering per capita expenses, or municipal services offered, Fair Haven is beyond the high end, comparatively, at about $1,397 on an average per capita spending of $1,295 to $1,350 in small versus large towns. But, he said, the services provided are much better than those in larger towns with lower taxes.

When that per capita number is lowered, “the level of services drops dramatically,” he said. And, he added, Fair Haven is known for providing a premium of municipal services that most people, in his experience, do not want to do without.

With this budget, officials said, a lot of the debt service in the borough, or $189,00, was wiped out, bringing the total debt down to $3 million.

“We’re now at the same level we were at in 2008,” Lucarelli said. “The budget has been chopped down and creeped up since then, but has never exceeded the 2008 number.”

For six years straight, from 2008 to 2013, Fair Haven boasted holding the line on municipal taxes, which comprises a little more than 20 percent of the tax bill, with no municipal tax hike (and one minuscule decrease) until last year.

 

Fair Haven Baseball: A Sign of Contention

By Elaine Van Develde

It’s a sign of baseball times in Fair Haven and something that officials think is a foul ball thrown onto the borough’s fields.

Officials discussed at Monday night’s Borough Council meeting what amounted to the latest microcosm in a longstanding quandary over donations to the baseball program in the borough with corporate sponsorship strings attached — most recently, a donated scoreboard that comes with a large corporate sponsorship plaque.

“We were told about it when it was en route,” Mayor Ben Lucarelli said. “Now it’s at the DPW (Department of Public Works). The kids want the scoreboard. It’s a nice donation. But it should be just that — a donation. It’s not proper to have what amounts to a commercial ad sitting on public fields. There should be no strings attached. They should be coming to us on things like this and asking our permission. I don’t vote, but, I move that we allow the sign to be erected without the sponsorship plaque.”

Council members agreed. But the agreement didn’t end without a  recount of what they called an uncooperative history of Fair Haven Baseball, a separate non-profit (501c3) entity, taking corporate sponsorships and advertising on banners in the public fields without any communication with borough officials.

The fact that “Fair Haven Baseball just threw up sponsorship signs against our will is just bad behavior,” Councilman Rowland Wilhelm said. “These fields rely on borough resources to maintain.”

It’s a matter of public versus private interests, Council President Jonathan Peters said.

“It’s been a bone of contention,” the mayor said. “Back in the day, things were simple. There were no sponsorships, no separate organization, just volunteers.”

The teams organized and played ball wherever they could. Then came a non-profit baseball organization and Fair Haven Fields. The fields are maintained and improved by the borough — to the tune of about $.5 million most recently.

They are public property, by virtue of not only the fact that the fields are owned and maintained by the borough, but that they were purchased with NJ Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres funds. As such, in accordance with Green Acres parameters, they must be kept open to the public and preserved as recreational open space.

Herein lies the dilemma. Since the old days, Fair Haven has decentralized its Recreation Department. So, Fair Haven Baseball has become the separate organization that it now is — a non-profit.

Commercial sponsorship donations are garnered to support the organization via various advertising methods like the banners. A large chunk of the funds that that they do receive, officials noted, do go toward Fair Haven Fields’ maintenance.

But, there is a conflict of interest when commercial entities advertise on a public property. Yes, officials said, you see it all the time on major league baseball fields. But the ownership of those fields is a different story. There’s a corporate investment from the onset.

“In the end, the goal is to have a good season and get the kids to Cooperstown,” Lucarelli said. “These are good volunteers. But, they forget that they’re in Fair Haven and the ballfields are owned by the borough.”

And, the Fair Haven Baseball gets exclusive use of the fields. No one else can play when they are scheduled.

“At the end of the day, the scoreboard is here,” Lucarelli said.

Council voted to erect it without the sponsorship plaque.

As for the future, “Can we give them a scathing letter that says, ‘If you do this again, the answer will be no?’ ” Councilwoman Susan Sorensen, liaison to the Recreation Department said. “Enough is enough.”

The board will take about three days to install, officials estimated. When, exactly, it will be erected has not yet been determined.

 

 

A Little Knollwood Chamber Music

The following is an edited press release from the Fair Haven School District:

Did you make it to the Knollwood School Chamber Music Recital?

If not, here’s a look back at the March 23 evening:

The performances were based on the definition of the original 18th century chamber music — music played by a small ensemble, with one player to a part.

Continue reading A Little Knollwood Chamber Music

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