Thursday, May 9, 2013
OCC second year student Nick Tyler to continue studying computer science after graduation this month
When Nick Tyler graduates from Ocean County College in Toms River, N.J. later this month, he'll do so with a dual mission in mind: continue his computer science studies at Kean University, then use his programming skills to make life easier for those with disabilities. For his efforts, Tyler has been chosen as Huffington Post's Greatest Person of the Day. Tyler, of Brick Township, N.J., relies on technology to help him navigate life on a daily basis to a much greater extent than most people. He was born with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, which has resulted in his having limited control of his arms and legs, as well as his voice. "Since my muscles are affected, I have a difficult time being understood," he said, through a voice synthesizer …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Brick resident cleared on vehicular homicide charge
A jury has found Brick resident Anthony DiGilio not guilty of vehicular homicide and assault by vessel in connection with a fatal Aug. 3, 2008 boating accident. The jury of eight men and four women began deliberating just after 2 p.m. Monday following the end of closing arguments in the three week-long trial. The verdict was read in Superior Court Judge Francis Hodgson's court room at about 10:15 a.m. Tuesday. Minutes after the verdict was read, family and supporters of DiGilio, 33, were outside the court room making emotional phone calls, often crying with joy spreading the news. Family members and friends of Robert Post, the 49-year-old Essex Fells resident who died in the boating accident, were visibly upset as they quickly exited the …
Monday, April 22, 2013
Prosecutor to jury: DiGIlio acted in a manner that was 'senseless and reckless'
The vehicular homicide and assault case against Brick resident Anthony DiGilio is now in the hands of a jury. Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Hillary Bryce delivered an approximately two hour-long summation of the state's case Monday morning, wrapping up closing arguments that began Friday with defense attorney Joseph Tacopina delivering his own nearly five hour-long summation. Bryce used her summation to try to convince jurors that DiGilio, now 33, was operating his boat recklessly and that his recklessness caused the death of 49-year-old Robert Post of Essex Fells, who was at the helm of a 17-foot Boston Whaler that collided with DiGilio's 27-foot Imperial performance boat. "There was no way for Bob Post or anyone on that Boston Whaler…
Traffic lights no longer blinking on bulk of barrier island
It's one of those unique "Shore local" problems: when the traffic lights stop blinking each spring, one has to remember to come to a full and complete stop - and most importantly, wait for the light to turn green again. In a small sign of normalcy following Route 35's reopening after surrounding neighborhoods were hard hit by Superstorm Sandy at the end of October, traffic signals are no longer blinking amber and red. Last week, the lights in Brick, Toms River and Lavallette were all changed back over to their solid red-or-green modes. Since then, speed limits have risen in each of those towns from 25 m.p.h. – a limit imposed following Sandy – back to 45 m.p.h. in the southbound lanes and a mix of speeds between 30 and 45 m.p.h. in the …
Thursday, April 4, 2013
911 tape played for jurors
The prosecution in the trial of Brick Township boater Anthony DiGilio called several witnesses Thursday who described a chaotic, bloody scene following the Aug. 3, 2008 boating accident that is the subject of DiGilio's trial, the Star-Ledger reported. Those who testified, including the widow of Robert Post, a 49-year-old Essex Fells resident who was killed in the accident, recounted confusion and horror in the moments following the accident in which DiGilio's 27-foot Imperial performance boat collided with Post's 17-foot Boston Whaler. Cliff Farren, one of the passengers on the boat, told a 911 he could not see Post's head and that he had likely been decapitated, according to the Star-Ledger's report. Other passengers on the boat who …
'Miracle of Route 35' video released by engineering firm that oversaw the closing of the Mantoloking breach
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Daniel Nee
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Thursday, April 4
Arora and Associates, a Lawrenceville-based consulting civil and structural engineering firm, released a video Wednesday that contains stunning footage of the Mantoloking breach created by Superstorm Sandy. The video chronicles the efforts of the company's employees to engineer a solution to closing the breach, shoring up the island and rebuilding Route 35 and the base of the Mantoloking Bridge intersection.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Brick resident facing vehicular homicide, assault by vessel charges
Brick resident Anthony DiGilio was described as both a reckless boater who sped away from an accident scene, leaving five people adrift in the dark of night, as well as a husband and father whose boat was cut off on his way home from a night out on the water with friends, resulting in a tragic accident. DiGilio's trial for the Aug. 3, 2008 boating accident on the Metedeconk River that claimed the life of 49-year-old Robert Post, an Essex Fells resident, began Wednesday with opening statements from Senior Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Hillary Bryce and defense attorney Joseph Tacopina. Superior Court Judge Francis Hodgson's Toms River court room was packed with family members and friends of Post – so packed that Ocean County Sheriff's …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Scott MacFadden made at least $77,957 in illegally reimbursed political contributions, indictment charges
Brick Township's former business administrator, Scott MacFadden, has been indicted for violating state pay-to-play laws in his role as chief administrative officer of Birdsall Services Group, a Monmouth County-based engineering firm. Birdsall has been under investigation for skirting the state's pay-to-play laws by allegedly reimbursing its employees for their personal, unreportable political contributions. The firm has engineering contracts with a host of Shore area communities, including Brick. MacFadden, 58, a township resident, is accused of making at least $77,957 in such illegally reimbursed contributions, a statement from state Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said Tuesday. He is being represented by Brick-based attorney William P…
Thursday, March 14, 2013
NJSIAA subcommittee rules against disabled student's request to keep playing football
An eligibility subcommittee of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association – the state's governing body for high school sports – has denied a high school football placekicker with autism the chance to play for another year. Anthony Starego, a member of the Brick Dragons varsity team, rose to fame last year after his success kicking field goals went viral online and in the media. Starego is 18 years old and will be 19 next football season, but because of his disability will remain in high school until age 21. Normally, NJSIAA rules do not permit students over age 18 who have played sports for eight semesters to continue playing if they remain in high school. His father, Ray Starego, has argued his son's ability to play on the …
Monday, March 11, 2013
Work begins to pull debris from Barnegat Bay
Even one of Germany's finest automobiles was no match for Superstorm Sandy. It's tough to tell the exact model this car was, but the body style and taillights indicate it's a midsize Mercedes-Benz, probably from the 1990s. Crews found it in Barnegat Bay Monday afternoon and towed it to the boat ramp at Traders Cove Marina off Mantoloking Road in Brick, where it was hauled out from the murky depths. The muddied car is suspected to have gotten washed into the waterway during Sandy. A contract was awarded by the state last month to Crowder Gulf, a Theodore, Ala.-based company, to remove debris from the northern and central portions of Barnegat Bay, hopefully in time for the summer boating season. Department of Environmental Protection …
Team Dawg
1:10 am on Monday, May 13, 2013
For any of us who have ever found an excuse to fail...or worse yet, not try, we ned look no further than this story. Nick , it cannot be restated enough what a true inspiration and role model you are. We at Team Dawg take pride in the fact that we look to raise awareness and celebrate the true Everyday Heroes that exist in our society. You are the epitome of everything we stand for! Team Dawg … more ›