Monday, March 18, 2013
Police catch suspect as he was leaving the building with two bottles of beer, police chief says
Police have charged a Bayville man with burglary, theft and criminal mischief after they caught him coming out of the V.F.W. Post 9503 building early on Saint Patrick's Day, Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said. Patrolman Robert Flanegan arrested Shawn Heyl, 32, Glenwood Drive, after he and a Lakewood police officer apprehended him after a brief foot chase at 6:35 a.m., the chief said. The Lakewood officer was in the area at the time of the incident and stopped to offer assistance, DiMichele said. "When he saw the officers, he took off on foot and began to run," DiMichele said. Heyl was carrying two 12 ounce bottles of Budweiser when he was apprehended, she said. "He stated he just wanted to get warm and was thirsty," DiMichele said. …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr., Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele and Township Council President James J. Byrnes recall the terrifying hours during Superstorm Sandy
The frantic call for help came from a Dogwood Drive resident as Superstorm Sandy bore down on Bayville. He had not heeded the call to evacuate. "We had a man crying on the phone," Township Council President James J. Byrnes said. "That's when Karin looked at me and I looked at her. She said we had to go get him." Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr., Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele and Byrnes sat down with Patch recently to recall how they tried to hold the town together after Sandy roared in. Four months later, they are still trying. "It doesn't feel that long," DiMichele said. "It doesn't seem like it's been four months." Prepping for the unimaginable DiMichele, Amato, Byrnes and Emergency Management Coordinator George Dohn had held meeting after …
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Dunes actually bulked up a little, thanks to snow fencing and Christmas trees
Sandy-battered sections of the township were spared from much damage or flooding during the nor'easter, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said. "We are extremely thankful we did very well during the nor'easter," Amato said. "I received reports from our Office of Emergency Management that we had about six to eight inches of water in the street down by Balsam Drive, Main Street and some sections off Bayview Avenue in Holly Park." Although Pelican Island and South Seaside Park took on some water in the roadways, the flooding was nothing severe, the mayor said. The Parks and Recreation Department reported that some of the dunes in South Seaside Park were actually built up during the storm, he said. "We gained a foot of sand in some spots near the new …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
That's the latest decision coming out of township Emergency Management Office meeting
Berkeley Township officials have decided against recommending voluntary evacuations on the barrier island or the mainland waterfront communities, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said. "We have officers continually checking the water levels in Pelican Island, South Seaside Park and the bay and the Toms River in Bayville," he said. "Right now the water levels are fine." Officials will monitor the coming high tides "very closely," the mayor said. The Glen Cove section of Bayville experienced power outages during the storm, with about 17 residents still without power as of around 8 p.m., Amato said. However, the winds will be picking up, with gusts up to 60 miles per hour, which could bring down power lines. The rain is expected to change to snow …
Township emergency management officials holding a briefing on the storm now
Township emergency management officials are recommending that residents in flood-prone areas move their cars to higher ground ahead of the coming nor'easter. "The National Weather Service has updated their forecast for the impending nor’easter storm that is headed in our direction, and residents need to be prepared." Amato said. Residents can park their vehicles in the lower parking lot at Central Regional Middle School off Forest Hills Parkway in Bayville, the mayor said. "I'm encouraging residents to be prepared, as power outages are likely due to the combination of high winds and wet snow," he said. "Residents should secure all items around their home. We anticipate winds will gust up to 40 miles per hour, while gusts of 50 to 60 …
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Gregory DePaul dies of pneumonia, a 'huge loss,' police chief said
To call him a volunteer would be an understatement. Gregory DePaul helped found the Pinewald Pioneer Fire Company and the Berkeley Township Emergency Response Team. He was also a township Deputy Office of Emergency Management Coordinator. DePaul died this morning of double pneumonia, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said. "So sad," Amato said today. "Greg was a great man. His dedicated service to our community will be sorely missed. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the DePaul family. Greg was involved and provided valuable insight during the pre-meetings for Hurricane Sandy." DePaul was diagnosed with lung cancer several years ago. He went through an arsenal of treatments and was in remission when he was hospitalized recently with …
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Incident occurred on Glenwood Drive on Thursday afternoon, police say
Although the incident involving a minivan and two young girls on Thursday on Glenwood Drive is still considered suspicious, it did not rise to the level of luring, Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said this afternoon. "This is considered an isolated incident at this time," the chief said. "However, parents should always remain vigilant. It should be noted that these two girls did exactly what they were told to do in "Stranger Danger" classes." The investigation into the incident involving a light teal-colored minivan and the two girls - ages 7 and 9 - is continuing, DiMichele said. "This incident is not being considered a luring case at this time," she said. The two girls were playing in the yard when they noticed a vehicle slow to a stop …
Township will follow 'the county's lead,' police chief says
Berkeley Township residents can expect the brunt of the coming storm to start sometime Monday night and continue into Tuesday, Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said. "We are looking at 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. to start with the rain and the wind," DiMichele said tonight. DiMichele, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr., Township Council President James J. Byrnes and emergency management officials and representatives of fire departments and first aid companies met at the police department early this evening to decide the next course of action. So far, no voluntary or mandatory evacuations have been planned, but that could change, Amato said. "We want to give it another 24 hours, until we are really sure of where it's going to go," he said. DiMichele said they …
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Police chief credits alert neighbor who notified police about incident
Police recently arrested two elementary school-age students in connection with the vandalism of a number of Emmanuel Community Church vehicles, Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said. The juveniles - ages 8 and 9 - were charged with criminal mischief, burglary and resisting arrest, the chief said. DiMichele credited an alert neighbor who notified police while the incident was occurring at the church on Wheaton Avenue in Bayville at 2:31 p.m. on Oct. 13. "This is all due to a neighbor being the watchful eye of the community and doing the right thing and calling us," she said. "That's how these two suspects were apprehended." The juveniles broke into a church bus, spray-painted all the seats and ceilings with gray and white paint and broke …
Monday, September 10, 2012
Both men have extensive law enforcement backgrounds, police chief says
The Berkeley Township Police Department roster grew by two at noon today, when Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. swore in two new police officers. "With these two, we have 70 sworn law enforcement officers," Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said. "They're going to the Ocean County Police Academy on Thursday. They will graduate in February." Sworn in were Michael Tanis and Daniel Williams. Tanis, 33, is a lifelong township resident. He graduated from Central Regional High School in 1998 and is currently attending Ocean County College. He and his wife Janine have one child and another due in January. Tanis served five years of active duty in the U.S. Army and four years in the Army Reserve as an M.P. He served two tours of duty, one in Iraq, the …
Joe Montalbano
10:08 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
and to think i used to be best friends with him until i caught him stealing from me...guess i made the right decision more ›