Tag Archives: feature

Fair Haven Police: Borough Business Burglar Nabbed, Connected to String of 30

A Freehold Borough man linked to a Fair Haven business burglary/theft has been linked to a string of more than 30 similar cases spanning Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties and is being held at Monmouth County Correctional Institution on $113,000 bail.

Isiah Casrell, 28,  was arrested along with an alleged co-conspirator, Rachael Lovely, 33, of Newark, at 1:30 a.m. on April 5 in Holmdel, police said. The two were allegedly leaving the scene of a commercial burglary there when they “were spotted and stopped on State Route 34 in the area of the border of Aberdeen Township and Marlboro Township by Marlboro Township Police Officer Johnathan Gramcko,” a release said.

The Holmdel burglary was found, by a multi-jurisdictional police task force, to allegedly be one of more than 30 that occurred in the three-county span in the past few months.

Fair Haven Police Detective Stephen Schneider, a member of the task force, said he signed specific complaints against Casrell in connection with the March 19 burglary of Distinctive Toys, 595 River Road.

As a result, Casrell was charged by Fair Haven police alone with: criminal mischief, burglary and theft of movable property. His bail on the Fair Haven charges alone was set at $30,000 with no 10 percent option, set by Judge James M. Newman, according to police.

In addition to the Fair Haven burglary/theft, Casrell, Schneider said in a release, “was responsible for committing numerous commercial burglaries in the following jurisdictions: Marlboro, Howell, Aberdeen, Colts Neck, Holmdel, Ocean Township, Plumsted Township, Old Bridge, Berkeley, Upper Freehold Township, Manalapan and Shrewsbury Borough.”

Concerning the alleged burglaries throughout the three counties committed by Casrell and Lovely, detectives from Monmouth County’s Marlboro, Howell and Holmdel Township police departments charged the two with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of burglary tools, theft, burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and criminal mischief.

 

Arresting News Nearby: Contempt

The following arrests were recently made by Middletown police on contempt of court charges and violations of court orders: 

• Peter Dickson, 20, of Hartshorne Road in the Locust section of Middletown, was arrested on March 24 by Patrolman Adam Vendetti on contempt of court warrants issued by the Middletown and Holmdel municipal courts.

He was released after posting $1,500 bail.

• Darren Mensch, 38, of Schelly Drive in Middletown, was arrested on March 24 by Detective Daniel Sullivan for shoplifting and on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court.

He was held on $5,500 bail, set by Judge Richard Thompson.

Continue reading Arresting News Nearby: Contempt

Retro Dance with George Giffin

The time is drawing near for all Rumson-Fair Haven area people to remember, honor and dance in the name of RFH’s ever-famous George Giffin, science and dance teacher extraordinaire who died last year.

The George Giffin Memorial Dance-a-thon is set for next week — Saturday, April 18 from 5 to 10 p.m. in the RFH gym.

With proceeds benefitting the Monmouth Day Care Center, people, in the name of Mr. Giffin, are invited to dance or just be a spectator at the event, which is being sponsored by the RFH Dance Troupe.

So, in preparation of the event and to remember the magic that was George Giffin, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day gives a glimpse into the last day this editor saw Mr. Giffin dance.

It was 2012 and he was at Fairwinds Deli in Fair Haven. It didn’t take much for Mr. Giffin, or Giff, as he was called, to launch into a routine no matter where it was.

He talked about how he loved to still show up at RFH grads’ weddings and teach them a few steps. He also said he was not too fond of the way in which the English language has been slaughtered “these days.” We agree.

Brown paper sandwich bag in hand, Giff then rhythmically chanted, “When you get that beat, you’ve got to move your feet!” as he did his own little dance right in the deli line.

What a treat.

There were popular teachers at RFH, all cherished, but George Giffin just had what theater professionals call “it” — personality, stage presence, that special something that makes people’s eyes twinkle when they’re around.

Always equipped with a passel of jokes, a smile and a “five, six, five six, seven, eight and one, two, cha, cha, cha” it’s a sure bet that he’d love to marathon dance at this event.

Though we’re not sure if he would be out teaching some classic ballroom dance moves, try a few of the newer moves or both, but we know he’d at least give it a “cha, cha, cha, dip, twirl” and maybe a cartwheel … just to throw people off — or not.

Dancers for the event must be 12 and up. Cost to dance is $50, while admission is $10 for spectators, and $5 for spectators age 12 and under.

Click here for more information. 

What was your favorite George Giffin dance?

Caution: Lights Out in Fair Haven

Fair Haven firemen and fire police stationed at Smith Street and River Road man and block off the street Wednesday night. Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Fair Haven firemen and fire police stationed at Smith Street and River Road man and block off the street Wednesday night.
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

If you live in the area of River Road, between Hance and Smith Street, in Fair Haven you may have heard a boom and been without electricity for a short period of time or longer around 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

While Fair Haven Fire Police were too busy redirecting traffic to provide an answer, a drive to the area would show that that block-long stretch of River Road was cordoned off, fire trucks, an ambulance and utility trucks were out.

No one has confirmed exactly what the issue was, but, with the presence of utility trucks and the outage, it seemed to be a power issue that was being tended to.

As of 7:45 p.m., the road was still blocked.

This post will be updated when more information becomes available.

Attorney General: Rumson Printer Banned as Vendor of Prescription Blanks

The following is a press release from the NJ Office of the Attorney General:

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs has terminated Rumson-based Nelson Press printing company’s authorization to act as a printer/vendor of prescription blanks.

The Division found the company’s failure to follow security requirements enabled a suspended doctor to allegedly obtain and write unauthorized prescriptions in another physician’s name for oxycodone and other potentially addictive painkillers.

The suspended doctor, Kenneth Lewandowski, of Middletown, was arrested in December 2014 by detectives from the Middletown Township Police Department working with investigators from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Division of Consumer Affairs. Lewandowski was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, forgery, and unlawful practice of medicine, for his alleged role in running a prescription drug ring.

Continue reading Attorney General: Rumson Printer Banned as Vendor of Prescription Blanks

Police: Alleged Heroin Dealers Busted

The following arrests that occurred between March 20 and April 7 were reported by Middletown police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.

• Andrew Gill, 21, of Willis Avenue in Keansburg , was arrested on March 24 by Detective Keith Hirschbein and charged with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of heroin within 500 feet of a public park, unlawful possession of suboxone, possession of a hypodermic syringe, possession of drug paraphernalia and on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Oceanport Municipal Court and a violation of probation warrant issued by the Monmouth County Superior Court.

He was held pending a court date.

• Christopher Gill, 23, of Mercer Avenue in Hazlet, was arrested on March 24 by Detective Keith Hirschbein and charged with possession of heroin, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park, unlawful possession of suboxone, possession of a hypodermic syringe and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was held on $75,000 bail, set by Judge Richard Thompson.

Continue reading Police: Alleged Heroin Dealers Busted

Arresting News Nearby: Contempt

The following arrests on contempt of court charges were made recently by Red Bank police: 

• Diana Roth, 20, of Union Beach, was arrested in the area of Riverview Plaza on April 1 by Sgt. Juan Sardoin and charged with contempt of court.

• Mary Bankowski, 21, of Red Bank, was arrested in the area of Monmouth Street on March 30 by Patrolman Shane Dengel and charged with contempt of court.

Continue reading Arresting News Nearby: Contempt

Detour: Rumson Road Work Ahead

If you’re planning on traveling down Rumson Road in the next week or so, you may want to take an alternate route.

Starting on Wednesday morning, the main Monmouth County road that runs from Little Silver to the border of Sea Bright will be mill paved during the daylight hours, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the sign near Buena Vista Avenue and Rumson Road and the borough website.

The paving, done by the county, is slated to take roughly six days, depending on the weather.

Work will start at the Little Silver end, by Branch Avenue and end at Bingham in Rumson.

 

Rumson Signs of Spring

 

Spring has sprung in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

The sun was out on Monday and so were the kids at Victory Park in Rumson.

As the temperature hit near 70 degrees, the mood escalated along with it.

Take a look at the slideshow above for a glimpse into the afternoon down by the Navesink River at the park.

Coast Guard: Easter Capsized Boat Rescue on Shrewsbury River

After a 20-foot pleasure boat took on water and capsized in the Shrewsbury River on Easter Sunday, a crew from U.S. Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook rescued four.

A distress call was sent out by the boat’s operator at about 3:30 p.m., a release from the Coast Guard said. The Sandy Hook Unit sent out a 47-foot lifeboat which arrived about 20 minutes later as the boat capsized, it added.

The four who were traveling in the boat were brought to Station Sandy Hook where they were checked over by emergency responders, the release said. All four were wearing life jackets.

The Coast Guard said the four are fine and stressed the importance of wearing life jackets and being equipped with proper working radios when traveling in a boat.

 

Crime & Arresting News Close By: Criminal Mischief, Theft & More

The following recent incidents and arrests were reported by Red Bank police:

Incidents

• An incident of criminal mischief was reported to have occurred sometime between March 30 and 31 at a Monmouth Street business. The business owner reported that an unknown person or persons tampered with the locking mechanism on the front door. No entry was gained.

Patrolman Jhonatan Quispe took the report.

Continue reading Crime & Arresting News Close By: Criminal Mischief, Theft & More