2025 at 2:11 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Shutterstock)LAURENCE HARBOR NJ — A Laurence Harbor man who worked as a door-to-door salesman was found guilty last week of stabbing a man to death in Ocean County Michael Tsamas, 35, was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter in the death of Joseph Delgardio, 44, of Jackson Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced in this press release on March 26 Tsamas was working for a third-party company hired by Verizon to solicit customers on a door-to-door basis Tsamas knocked on the door of Delgardio’s home in Jackson Township Delgardio told Tsamas he was not interested Delgardio confronted Tsamas on the street and a physical altercation ensued Tsamas removed a dagger from his pocket and stabbed Delgardio in the neck Jackson Township Police responded to the area of West Veterans Highway and Conor Road at 6:15 p.m that evening for a 911 call that a man was lying in the roadway in a pool of blood and responding officers found Delgardio with a severe wound to his neck CPR and first aid from local firefighters was unsuccessful and Delgardio was pronounced dead at the scene Tsamas was taken into custody without incident at the scene at which time he faces up to 30 years New Jersey state prison Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. OLD BRIDGE – The Laurence Harbor Fire Department will mark its 100th anniversary this weekend with food A party open to the community is scheduled noon to 5 p.m 12 at the Laurence Harbor Little League Complex “We’re a 100 percent volunteer fire company that’s provided 100 years of service and counting – it’s something for this community to be proud of!” Fire Chief Brian Stitzel said in a statement “We can’t protect this community without volunteers and support from the community and we can’t celebrate this milestone without our neighbors Neighboring fire companies will be on hand There will be a full barbecue supplied by a caterer Entertainment will be provided by DJ Johnny D from All American Entertainment and Band of Make Believe More: New Old Bridge Mexican restaurant offers 'secret' guacamole, nearly 50 hot sauces Kids can enjoy bounce houses and obstacle courses “All types of people join the fire department in emergency or non-emergency roles and others support us by attending our events,” Stitzel said “Our firefighters always get a big wave and a smile and this party is a way to let them know we appreciate them back.” To learn more about the fire department, including how to volunteer, visit lhfd1.com Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com please subscribe or activate your digital account today OLD BRIDGE — Two people were injured when a boat exploded while it was refueling Wednesday afternoon Old Bridge police said the force of the explosion at the Raritan Marina in the Laurence Harbor section around 3:20 p.m sent a 57-year-old man into the water and burned his face and legs After bystanders pulled him out of the water he was flown to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick A 47-year-old South Amboy man was treated at Bayshore Medical Center for glass in his torso and arms Michael Sorger, who identified himself to News 12 as the younger victim described the explosion "like a bomb went off right next to me." A neighbor told News 12 the explosion shook his house a half mile away Video posted by ABC 7 Eyewitness News shows firefighters using foam and water to extinguish the flames in the water near the fueling dock Firefighters worked to keep the flames from a wooded area across Stump Creek which is also bordered by NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line The boat sank by the weight of the water sprayed on the flames The cause of the explosion is under investigation but police said it does not appear to be suspicious Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom Gallery Credit: Forbes Advisor Gallery Credit: Mike Brant Old Bridge police said the force of the explosion at the Raritan Marina in O sent a 57-year-old man into the water and caused burns to his face and legs while as second man got glass in his stomach.\nRead More Michael Sorger, who identified himself to News 12 as the younger victim Video posted by ABC 7 Eyewitness News shows firefighters using foam and water to extinguish the flames in the water near the fueling dock Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom Two people were injured Wednesday afternoon after a boat exploded while it was being refueled at a marina in Old Bridge Coast Guard and marine units from the New York City Police and Fire Department were called to the Raritan Marina located at 1707 Route 35 in the Laurence Harbor section of town to investigate the explosion around 3:20 p.m. An explosion aboard the 32-foot cuddy-cabin boat caused a 57-year-old Bridge man to be launched into the water according to a statement from the Old Bridge Police Department He sustained burns to his face and legs and was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for treatment A 47-year old South Amboy man suffered blast injuries from glass to his stomach and arms and he was transported to Bayshore Medical Center The fire was extinguished around 7:30 p.m. and the Coast Guard said it was on scene conducting pollution assessments The cause of the explosion was still under investigation and the marina was closed as a result Anyone with more information was asked to contact the Old Bridge Police Department at 732-721-5600 ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TOMS RIVER — A nurse testified Wednesday she found no injuries on a door-to-door salesman when she examined him at the Ocean County Jail a day after he stabbed a Jackson man to death in what he claimed was self-defense said she found no injuries at all on Michael Tsamas when Tsamas was booked into the jail on May 27 the day after he admitted fatally stabbing Joseph Delgardio in the neck during an altercation in Jackson Tsamas told Jackson Detective Derek Thomason "he was only held by the collar of his shirt and was not punched by the victim,'' when asked if Delgardio had attacked him Thomason acknowledged Tsamas told him Delgardio was trying to beat him up he stabbed the decedent as he was thrown to the ground?'' defense attorney Chip Dunne asked the detective he retrieved the knife after he was thrown to the ground,'' Thomason replied is on trial before Superior Court Judge Guy P charged with aggravated manslaughter and weapons offenses The deadly altercation occurred after Tsamas made a sales call at Delgardio's home while the family was having dinner around 6 p.m testified Tuesday that Tsamas told them he worked for Verizon and could offer the family a $100 gift card and a discount on their electric bill She said they asked Tsamas to leave because they thought he might be trying to scam them but that was after they had already given him their Jersey Central Power & Light Co her husband left the house to go after Tsamas and retrieve the account number but she learned a half hour later he was killed in an altercation with the salesman After the prosecution rested its case against Tsamas Dunne called three character witnesses who testified that the defendant is a peaceful man "I think he's probably the most calm person that I know,'' Deborah Masia of Monroe said of Tsamas Patrick Delaney of Clifton said Tsamas' father has been his best friend since childhood and that he Delaney said Tsamas is "a very peaceful guy,'' and added  Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com and the entire community is invited to a big birthday bash will throw a 100-year birthday party from noon to 5 p.m 12 at the Laurence Harbor Little League complex The Laurence Harbor Fire Department was started in 1924 “We’re a 100-percent volunteer fire company that’s provided 100 years of service and counting — it’s something for this community to be proud of!” said Stitzel “We can’t protect this area without volunteers and support from the community Neighboring fire companies will also attend including birthday cake and an ice cream truck There will be music provided by both a DJ and a band Kids will enjoy bounce houses and obstacle courses To learn more about the Laurence Harbor Fire Department, including how to volunteer, please visit lhfd1.com Authorities in Ocean County announced that on March 26 was found guilty of Aggravated Manslaughter in connection with the death of Joseph Delgardio following a two-week jury trial before the Honorable Guy P Billhimer stated that in rendering its verdict the jury concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that Tsamas recklessly caused the death of Mr under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life The jury also found Tsamas guilty of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and two counts of Possession of a Prohibited Weapon Tsamas is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ryan on May 30 at which time he faces up to 30 years in New Jersey State Prison in connection with the Aggravated Manslaughter offense subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act Ocean County authorities stated that on May 26 officers from the Jackson Township Police Department responded to the area of West Veterans Highway and Conor Road in reference to a 911 call stating that a male was lying in the roadway in a pool of blood Delgardio was already receiving first aid and CPR from Fire Department personnel Delgardio was pronounced deceased at the scene an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit revealed that Tsamas was working for a company hired by Verizon to solicit customers on a door-to-door basis Delgardio’s door in an attempt to solicit his business Delgardio told Tsamas that he was uninterested Ocean County officials said a short time later Tsamas removed a dagger from his pocket and stabbed Mr Tsamas was taken into custody without incident at the scene and thereafter transported to the Ocean County Jail Tsamas was subsequently released from the Ocean County Jail as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform Officials are investigating a report that lead material was found in the water and on the shore of the Raritan Bay in Keyport, not far from the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge The Environmental Protection Agency was made aware of the situation by Greg Remaud EPA officials are in direct contact with him to learn more about the report and are investigating the matter Remaud said for months the NY/NJ Baykeeper has been keeping tabs on the site off Walnut Street in the northeastern corner of Keyport near the border with Union Beach "The site is adjacent to the Aeromarine site which contains an improperly capped landfill that has spewed contaminants into the Chingarora Creek and Raritan Bay for decades," Remaud said adding the site is owned by Bay Ridge Realty Corp he saw "thousands of chunks of material that looks just like the lead slag at the Superfund site in Laurence Harbor." Remaud said the lead was found on the beach and in the water which is about three to four miles by water from the Superfund site in Laurence Harbor Remaud sent the material to EMSL Analytical Inc for testing and received the results Tuesday evening "It confirmed our fear that there is lead on that beach and in the water," he said children can have developmental problems in their brain and bodies and it's very harmful to women who are pregnant It's about public safety first and foremost More: How clean is the Raritan River? Watchdog issues report It still needs to be determined how far any contamination may extend where it came from and what is going to be done to remedy the situation “The possibility that hazardous lead material may be breaking off from the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site in Old Bridge and spreading all the way to Keyport is deeply concerning," U.S "The EPA must immediately determine if this contamination is originating from the Slag site the agency needs to address this issue immediately to prevent further spread." Pallone later said that he spoke with EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F who said the EPA is expediting the investigation The EPA is prioritizing is determining whether the material originated from the Superfund site Pallone said he has been working closely with the EPA on the site's remediation A contract for the Seawall Sector cleanup is expected to be signed this year The Raritan Bay Slag site was placed on the EPA’s Superfund National Priorities List in 2009 The site is adjacent to Old Bridge’s planned beachfront community center A portion of the Laurence Harbor beachfront has been closed for years because of lead contamination The seawall and the jetty were constructed in the 1970s with slag manufactured at the Perth Amboy factory of National Lead OLD BRIDGE - There is no indication that the slag-like materials found on a Keyport beach are connected to the Raritan Bay seawall Superfund site in the Laurence Harbor section of the township A plan to remove the materials found at Bayfront Beach was announced Friday by Pallone and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Commissioner Shawn LaTourette During a visit in late June NY/NJ Baykeeper CEO said he saw "thousands of chunks of material that looks just like the lead slag at the Superfund site in Laurence Harbor." which is about three to four miles from the Superfund site in Laurence Harbor More: More questions than answers after hazardous lead washes up in Raritan Bay which confirmed there was lead on that beach and in the water Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 Administrator Lisa Garcia urging a swift review and the development of an action plan to remove the material The results of a field test sample provided by the Baykeeper tested at 200 parts per million of lead which is at the Residential Direct Contact Standard The removal plan will be implemented this week by the DEP because the public uses the beach area for crabbing and fishing More: Old Bridge couple sentenced separately for sexual assaults, illegally practicing medicine The plan includes removal of the slag-like material and an investigation to determine the origin of the material and whether it was dumped on the beach or it is a remnant of the former Aeromarine industrial site "Swiftly addressing these materials has been my top priority," Pallone said "With NJDEP's solid plan and EPA's backing I'm confident these agencies will quickly remove the material Baykeeper Remaud found and protect Keyport's residents I am committed to seeing this effort through to the end and ensuring any trace of these materials is removed." “The material has only been observed in the discrete area of Bayshore there is no information suggesting that the material is spread more widely geographically,” LaTourette said I have directed the removal of the materials to take place [this] week No conclusion can yet be made as to the nature or source of the material but DEP will share additional information as the investigation progresses.” The DEP is continuing to be in contact with the EPA OLD BRIDGE – Two people were injured when a boat exploded Wednesday afternoon at a marina in the Laurence Harbor section A 57-year-old Old Bridge man who was launched into the water and pulled out by bystanders suffered burns to his face and legs and was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital A 47-year-old South Amboy man suffered blast injuries from glass to his stomach and arms and was taken to Bayshore Medical Center fire and EMS quickly arrived at the scene to assist the injured and secure the area The cause of the explosion is under investigation The marina is currently closed due to the investigation OLD BRIDGE – The Planning Board has agreed that 50 properties at the intersection of Route 35 and Laurence Parkway in the Laurence Harbor section be designated as a redevelopment area The vote came after the Board assured residents that the township would not use its powers of eminent domain to acquire the properties "We will not be taking anybody's property," Township Planner Veena Sawant said Every plan that has been written in the last 20 years has been just for redevelopment "If the municipality wanted to utilize eminent domain or condemnation for this or any of the other redevelopment it has to do so right from the start," Planning Board attorney Joseph Sordillo said It just can't happen unless this whole process starts from the beginning all over again and everyone will be given notice of that fact." The redevelopment designation does not include any recommendations for specific development That will happen later in the drafting of a redevelopment plan by the Planning Board and Township Council with public input The properties in the redevelopment area include several single-family homes at least 70 years old as well as the Laurence Harbor Post Office a vacant bank and a strip mall with a high vacancy The redevelopment study was prompted by underutilized and vacant parcels vacant stores and the area’s proximity to the Laurence Harbor waterfront and community facilities More: Superfund cleanup stands beside Old Bridge’s new beachfront community center More: $35M from federal infrastructure bill will fix waterways in Middlesex County the Council authorized the Planning Board to undertake a study Sawant said she believes the residents living there will benefit from the designation including the opportunity to apply for a short-term tax exemption The state's Five-Year Exemption and Abatement Law authorizes municipalities to grant short-term tax abatements and exemptions for home improvements and the improvement or conversion of multiple dwellings in redevelopment areas the township is not going to force property owners to do anything your property value goes up and that has been historically true." Two gas stations in the area are brownfield sites that need to be cleaned up and the old post office building needs rehabilitation There also are a few homes with driveways forcing residents to back out onto Route 35 The area is bounded by Laurence Harbor Beach to the north McKinley Avenue and Morningside Avenue to the east Ravine Avenue and Sunset Avenue to the south and Lakeview Road and the Harbor Plaza strip mall to the west Several residents spoke at the meeting and expressed concerns about pedestrian safety and traffic Those concerns will be addressed in the drafting of the redevelopment plan Another resident said she heard a rumor that condos were coming any developer who has approached us to do that," she said Today the comments you're making are well received When we work on the plan those comments will be very helpful to us So your voice is definitely going to be heard but when we write the redevelopment plan." The owner of a vacant property behind Dunkin' said his property is "underutilized" and is something that can benefit from being in a redevelopment area "We certainly look forward to participating if this were to go forward," he said 2024 at 11:24 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Chunks of material that tested positive for lead have washed up on the beach in Keyport just a few miles away from the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site NJ — Chunks of material that tested positive for lead have washed up on the beach in Keyport NJ Advance Media reported that the hazardous lead pieces were discovered by Greg Remaud, CEO of the NY/NJ Baykeeper which Remaud had tested and came back positive for hazardous lead But the pieces are similar to some found previously at a nearby contaminated site Only four miles away from where the chunks were found is the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site in Laurence Harbor a private company built the seawall and jetties using slag which is waste from the bottom of industrial blast furnaces used to smelt metal in the late 1960s to early 1970s.In the early 2000s the New Jersey Department of Environmental Projection tested the area and said it found elevated levels of lead sediment and Raritan Bay water around the seawall Clean-up at the site has gone on for more than a decade now since it was first designated a Superfund site in 2009 only one portion has been completed: The EPA declared the "Margaret’s Creek sector" complete in 2018 which included restoration of the nearby wetlands It was recently awarded $1 million in funding for further cleanup from the Biden Administration. Read more: $1 Million In Fresh Funding For Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site The EPA took over cleanup of the site in 2021 Remaud told NJ Advance Media that the findings of the chunks was concerning not just for the health of people visiting the bay but for the fish and birds nearby as well He also feared that more slag could be contaminating the bay The EPA has been made aware of the lead findings and is investigating further This article contains additional reporting by Carly Baldwin OLD BRIDGE – Plans to construct a new multipurpose community building along the Laurence Harbor beachfront and clean up an adjacent Superfund site are moving forward Township Council members and other officials at the site Wednesday to unveil conceptual plans for the new Laurence Harbor Community Building Pallone has secured $2.25 million in a federal money to partially pay for the project which was initially estimated to cost about $5.1 million Henry said the project is a "great beginning of even greater things to come" for the neighborhood "You know we have the Superfund site on this waterfront and if you look out this door we have the greatest view of the city of New York that exists on the Raritan Bay." between the people of Old Bridge and that view is a fence that protects the public from the lead contamination in the Superfund site and we can't do that ourselves," the mayor said "That help has to come from the federal government." The federal government has the means to get that cleaned up and then and only then will the township have a Laurence Harbor that will prosper Pallone said the community building project "fit perfectly into what we were trying to accomplish and put into the appropriations bill." Laurence Harbor has its own identity and should have its own community center Pallone also gave an update on the cleanup at the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site the Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to take over the design of plans to clean up the Superfund site on the Old Bridge and Sayreville border Also see:Judge orders 'sandbagged' Old Bridge police captain back to work, tosses township's appeal the state Department of Environmental Protect discovered contamination along the seawall and notified the EPA in June 2008 the EPA ordered NL Industries to remediate the site based on the finding that the company had manufactured the slag that was causing the contamination The EPA says that completion of the remedial design is anticipated by May "And they do plan to actually start the remediation this year – sometime by the end of the year," he said but we've been pushing really to get this design done and to actually start the remediation," Pallone said the township's director of community development in charge of the community center project The building also has been used as a library with the Laurence Harbor library building out of commission 6,000-square-foot building's interior will have an open space design so the township will be able to take full advantage of the space for programming The bottom floor will have bathrooms and a full kitchen "Right now we're writing a request for proposal for final design," she said we will be getting responses on our proposal for final design to bring us to the construction phase and hopefully this time next year or even in the fall time period we're hoping to break ground on construction." It’s said that “it takes a village” to accomplish challenging goals In the case of Daisy Velez of Laurence Harbor, New Jersey, it was bariatric surgeon Ayotunde O. Adeyeri, M.D. and his team who guided Daisy through a more than 100-pound weight loss in a year The team is still there for her as she continues her weight-loss journey in early 2016 for the successful removal of part of her colon with cancerous polyps Adeyeri removed the polyps laparoscopicallyin July 2016 but knew Daisy’s peak weight of more than 350 pounds put her at risk for certain types of cancer He recommended Daisy consider surgical weight loss to improve her overall health Daisy’s health insurance did not cover the procedure after getting a new job and more comprehensive insurance she was able to consider surgical weight loss Adeyeri because of the compassionate care provided and the trust they had built which creates a small pouch inside the stomach then connects that directly to the small intestine Adeyeri performed the procedure on April 28 It allowed Daisy to eventually stop five medications for diabetes she has dropped from her largest size 30 to an 18 and she’s aiming for a 14 by the time she takes a vacation to Panama City Daisy enjoys satisfying smaller portions of foods like healthy protein cheesesteaks high-protein soups and protein cappuccinos all boosted by her daily multivitamin and plenty of water.  or I’ll cheat and go back to my ‘old ways,’” Daisy says “Find what you enjoy eating or this won’t work if you don’t like what you’re supposed to eat.” She also walks briskly on her treadmill for up to an hour most mornings takes stairs when she can and uses light weights to strengthen her arms.  Daisy knows support can make such a difference She’s thrilled to be able to offer heartfelt advice to those at the beginning of their weight-loss journey who ask the same questions she had early on Daisy says she’s a stress eater or emotional eater She admits that her father’s previous pancreatic cancer diagnosis and her mother’s recent kidney cancer diagnosis—as well as the past rigors of COVID-19 and her own cancer surgery—have understandably added to her worries she’s determined to stay the course of her weight loss Adeyeri says he may treat up to 100 bariatric patients a year He says Daisy’s positive attitude has helped her maintain focus with her weight down to 256 pounds during her most recent visit it’s not just the outward signs of weight loss that matter are those inner changes that include eliminating diabetes as a risk factor for her “I tell my patients that perfection is not the goal—progress is just like putting one foot in front of the other.” He credits Daisy with being an avid learner about a complex topic deeply personal to her “She knows what she doesn’t know and welcomes the help,” he says The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician Always consult your physician for individual care tax-exempt charitable organization (tax ID 22-3474145) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law The Raritan Bay Superfund Slag Site is set amid a living neighborhood and active recreation zone Jeff Pillets | October 25, 2022 | Hazard NJ, Energy & Environment Sixty- seven-year-old David Merwin grew up on the shores of the Raritan Bay at Laurence Harbor a stretch of marsh and sandy beach near the northern reaches of New Jersey’s 141-mile oceanfront He still remembers the stream of dump trucks crawling along the beach and dropping off huge loads of metallic refuse from a local smelting plant for use in a new seawall and jetty “Crazy chunks of stuff right from the bottom of the blast furnaces,” Merwin said “There were tons and tons of it.” government later determined that parts of the Laurence Harbor waterfront have concentrations of lead 100 times greater than levels considered acceptable more than 13 years after a 1.3-mile area of Old Bridge Township and Sayreville bordering the bay was declared a federal Superfund site residents of Laurence Harbor are still waiting for completion of a long-promised cleanup that will cost an estimated $79 million A 2,500-foot stretch of sandy beach at the harbor has remained sealed off behind chain link fence since 2009 Residents say they no longer enjoy swimming surfcasting or long morning walks on the beach There are continuing concerns about the effects of lead a potent neurotoxin that has been shown to accumulate not just on the seafloor Unlike most of New Jersey’s 114 Superfund sites the area officially known as the Raritan Bay Slag Site is not locked deep in an industrial brownfield but set amid a living neighborhood and active recreation zone restaurants and bait shops overlook the tainted beach a boardwalk and the 71-acre Old Bridge Waterfront Park who serves on an EPA-led citizens group monitoring the site “For the lawyers and engineers and everybody else involved NJ Spotlight News reviewed the Raritan Bay Slag saga as part of “Hazard NJ,” its series of podcasts and stories examining prominent state Superfund projects many of which face new challenges posed by climate change and shifting storm patterns Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on Laurence Harbor and other contaminated areas on Margaret’s Creek to the south and west of Laurence Harbor The storm disturbed and spread contaminants that settled in the shallow reaches of the creek and marshes Cleanup in many of the most problematic Superfund sites in the state has been delayed for decades and what critics say is the government’s failure to adequately finance Superfund Environmental advocates who have followed the progress of the Raritan Bay site say that a cleanup was unduly delayed by the Environmental Protection Agency’s lengthy negotiations with NL Industries Texas-based firm deemed to be primarily responsible for contaminating Laurence Harbor and other areas nearby formerly known as the National Lead company was once a leading manufacturer of lead-based paints founded more than a century ago in New Jersey maintained laboratories and smelting plants around the country but saw its fortunes ebb in the 1970s when the government banned lead-based paints in the face of mounting evidence that lead damages the human nervous system the firm has been implicated in widespread contamination at a second Sayreville site that has contaminated parts of the Raritan River and a deserted battery recycling site in South Jersey that was remediated after being placement in the Superfund program in 1982 “NL is notorious throughout the country for dragging its feet,” said Greg Remaud Details of the negotiations were not disclosed but Laurence Harbor residents said NL had proposed encapsulating much of the lead waste instead of removing it The EPA and its consultants investigated the Raritan site for six years before officially declaring NL Industries the primary party responsible for the pollution in 2013 The government then put NL in charge of the cleanup and ordered it to submit plans for remediating contamination at the seawall the jetty and other wetland areas nearby where high levels of lead were discovered Although details of the negotiations were not disclosed residents of Laurence Harbor said that NL had proposed encapsulating much of the lead waste instead of removing it the sides failed to reach agreement on a plan and hopes of remediation foundered Residents stewed and members of the Raritan Bay Community Advisory Group which calls itself the “slag cag,” found themselves in the dark as their partners at the EPA went back and forth with the chief polluter the citizens group was so frustrated that it sent a sharply worded letter to Rep the group outlined a continuing  decline in home values depressed business activity and the loss of their waterfront they had also missed out on a federal beach replenishment program “You know as a group we have been very patient but this is getting ridiculous,” wrote Samantha Manburg “This case is unique in that it is the recreational jewel of our community we are unable to utilize the valuable resources of our beachfront for over 10 years.” ‘The flaw in the process has been relying on the responsible party to design an adequate cleanup plan.’ — Greg Remaud Pallone appeared at a news conference at the Raritan site to announce that the EPA was taking the cleanup out of the hands of NL But work has yet to begin on the major areas of contamination on the bayfront and the EPA has yet to release a final remediation plan “The flaw in the process has been relying on the responsible party to design an adequate cleanup plan,” said Remaud who is also a member of the citizens’ group “None of us expected NL to be cooperative They were never going to come into compliance.” did not directly address concerns about how long the process has taken But he pointed out that while negotiating with NL the agency was tackling contaminated areas away from the seawall at the Margaret’s Creek inlet Residents interviewed by NJ Spotlight News said they were pleased with the Margaret’s Creek restoration McBay also said that NL took over design work on the seawall project in 2019 as a result of mediation the agency took back control of the design after determining the company’s plan “had significant technical issues and concerns.” EPA will ensure the design is completed in a technically sound manner that will lead to a successful cleanup,” McBay said the agency is offering no timetable for when the cleanup might be complete McBay said the agency is still reviewing a “pre-final (90%) cleanup design” and will only release it when finished NL Industries did not respond to phone calls seeking comment a New Jersey-based attorney who has represented the firm in litigation on the slag site and is listed as NL’s regional counsel After being named by the EPA as the primary polluter of the Raritan site the company filed a federal lawsuit claiming that local and state officials in the late 1960s knew that waste material supplied by the company was being trucked to the Raritan site for use in a seawall project being overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers to address storm erosion NL Industries alleges that local and state officials approved the use of slag waste from the National Lead plant in Sayreville along the Laurence Harbor seawall and allowed the contamination to spread for years some local officials worried about the use of slag being trucked in from NL’s Perth Amboy paint factory Records show that a member of Old Bridge Township conservation commission contacted the chief of the DEP to stress his concern “NL’s only connection to the site is that a former facility in Perth Amboy might have been one of the places where private developers obtained material they deposited at the site,” said a spokesman for the company after the suit was filed “Even after the environmental risks associated with the use of slag in this marine environment were brought to their attention the … defendants still allowed the project to proceed.” Corporate disclosures filed by NL Industries with the Securities and Exchange Commission show that the company is embroiled in legal action nationwide regarding environmental damage caused by its operations reported strange mists in the air and mysterious black spots on their homes and cars it is liable for up to $118 million in remediation costs related to 32 contaminated sites across the country The company has also been named as a defendant in 104 personal injury lawsuits where plaintiffs allege they were harmed by exposure to asbestos in products manufactured by the company or in facilities operated by it NL Industries is part of a multibillion-dollar conglomerate that was controlled by legendary corporate raider and Republican financier Harold Simmons until his death in 2013 Forbes magazine estimated Simmons’ net worth at $10 billion when he died Passionate about conservative political causes Simmons donated some $30 million to Republican super PACS in the 2012 election He spent $4 million to fund the infamous “Swift Boat” attacks on Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004 and once called President Barack Obama “the most dangerous man in America.” Media reports and lawsuits over the years detail NL’s long record of exposing host communities to hazards Almost 100 miles southwest of Laurence Harbor reported strange mists in the air and the appearance of mysterious black spots on their homes and cars shortly after NL industries opened its battery smelting plant there in 1972 the 44-acre site bordering the Delaware River was used to recycle automotive batteries and the unused parts were buried in an onsite landfill batteries and other materials with lead were stored in paved and unpaved parts of the site the company paid for car paint jobs and new siding on some homes in Pedricktown and later installed a new municipal water line to one section of town after groundwater was found to contain elevated levels of lead About 1 million gallons of contaminated water were found at the site The facility eventually closed in the mid-1980s and underwent remediation after the EPA placed it on the Superfund list But the closure and cleanup came only after decades of complaints and dozens of violations filed by state environmental  authorities the former head of the New Jersey Sierra Club said the experience of endangered residents in Pedricktown at the Raritan Bay Slag Site and dozens of other contaminated areas points to inherent drawbacks in the cleanup process and I’ll have my beach back.’ — David Merwin government dedication to aggressively pursue polluters has eroded amid shrinking enforcement budgets public indifference and deference to corporations that are known polluters “I understand these are complicated issues and things take time but firms like National Lead have despoiled out air and water for decades and everyone knows it,” Tittel said “Why are we taking years to negotiate with this company Why do we seem to be pursuing these cleanups with one hand tied behind our back when there is so much at stake?” David Merwin returned to Laurence Harbor after decades living elsewhere He says he was able to get a good deal on a house on Bayview Drive All six windows in the front of the house have “a million-dollar view” of the bay and the most beautiful sunrise on the Jersey Shore the fences will be gone and I’ll have my beach back,” he said Jeff Pillets has spent more than 25 years as a reporter in New Jersey and has won numerous honors he was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist for stories in The Record exposing public corruption in a $1 billion redevelopment project in the Meadowlands This story was first published by The Jersey Vindicator SUBSCRIBE NJ Spotlight is part of The WNET Group and is operated by WNET a non-profit organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code OLD BRIDGE – The township may receive $2.25 million in federal funding for a new community and recreation center along the Laurence Harbor beachfront which is initially estimated to cost about $5.1 million recently announced that he secured the funding in the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation Housing and Urban Development spending bill which the House is expected to vote on in the coming months “This new shared space will help keep our friends and neighbors active and bring the community together,” Pallone said in a news release “I look forward to seeing this project move through the legislative process.” The plan includes demolishing the existing building at the site and constructing a two-story 9,000-square-foot facility The second floor would have a 1,319-square-foot terrace and the ground level would have an outdoor plaza and an amphitheater-like seating area "During these difficult economic times it’s important to recognize the need to increase and encourage recreational opportunities for our working families," Mayor Owen Henry said in the release "We are excited to share the proposed conceptual plans for the Laurence Harbor Community Building This is the first step towards the revitalization of Old Bridge’s waterfront which will not only spur economic growth but also create an engaging destination place within the Township The Township is currently working on designating the Laurence Harbor area as an area in need of redevelopment which will drive reinvestment and redevelopment opportunities.” In Middlesex County:Prosecutor moves to strip Club 35 owners of $3.5 million in properties, cars, coins, cash which was built in the late 1970s and renovated in 2003 "It's almost two octagons put together," she said The building is currently being used for summer camp It is also used as a staging area by emergency personnel when there are events on the waterfront EI Associates was awarded the request for proposal to prepare a conceptual design The new facility would include restrooms that can be accessed internally as well as a men's and a women's restroom that can be accessed from the exterior for beachgoers Shapiro said the facility could also be used as a revenue-generating event space Shapiro said the township is hoping to construct the facility in 2023 The cleanup of the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site will receive an estimated $1 million grant to complete work on the seawall in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge The site is among the more than 100 across the country getting more than $1 billion for cleanup projects as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda The funding comes from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites and continue cleanups at more than 85 others The other New Jersey Superfund projects included are the Matlack site in Woolwich and the Roebling Steel site in Florence More: NJ has the most Superfund sites in the country. What to know if you live near one "This announcement is a step in the right direction so that the Old Bridge community can use the space without fear of the health risks that come with living near a Superfund site," U.S I'll continue to fight to ensure that corporate polluters are held accountable for the contamination they create and that New Jersey receives the resources it needs to clean up these sites.” The site is adjacent to Old Bridge’s planned beachfront community center In 2021, the EPA announced plans to take over the design of plans to clean up the 1.5-mile Superfund site on the Old Bridge and Sayreville border Billhimer and Jackson Township Police Chief Matthew Kunz announced that on May 26 was charged with Murder in violation of N.J.S.A in connection with the death of Joseph Delgardio in Jackson Township on May 26 Tsamas was also charged with Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A Officers from the Jackson Township Police Department responded to the area of West Veterans Highway and  Conor Road in reference to a 911 call stating that a male was lying in the roadway in a pool of blood  Responding Officers found Joseph Delgardio Delgardio was already receiving first aid CPR from Fire Department personnel An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit revealed that Tsamas was working for a company hired by Verizon to solicit customers on a door-to-door basis Delgardio told Tsamas that he was not interested Tsamas removed a knife from his pocket and stabbed Mr  Tsamas was taken into custody without incident at the scene and is currently lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing Prosecutor Billhimer and Chief  Kunz commend the collaborative efforts of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit for their collective and cooperative assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Tsamas’ apprehension The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law Copyright © 2025 Ocean County Prosecutors Office Crafted with care by Netwave Interactive OLD BRIDGE - The Laurence Harbor Branch of the Old Bridge Public Library is moving After an extended stay at the Laurence Harbor Community Center, the branch is relocating to the Amboy Bank Branch at 302 Laurence Parkway starting Wednesday, according to the library's website The Laurence Harbor branch at 276 Laurence Parkway closed in December 2019 "The library is moving to the bank branch because the township is building a new community center at that location," Henry said "We had to find a new home for the library We spoke to the people at Amboy Bank and they were very receptive and they are going to allow us to use their building for the foreseeable future We are committed to maintaining library services in Laurence Harbor." The Laurence Harbor branch will continue with an abbreviated schedule "That is based on feedback from the community," Old Bridge Public Library Director Dawn Jenkin said Full library hours will resume in September after a grand reopening More: Old Bridge mother was with boyfriend when her home burned with 4 kids inside Jenkin said the library is looking at reinvigorating its services programming and staffing at the Laurence Harbor Branch Feedback on services, hours, programming and more is being accepted by visiting in person or via the Laurence Harbor survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LTY9JPL contact the library’s director Dawn Jenkin at djenkin@oldbridgelibrary.org An Old Bridge police officer has been cleared of criminal charges in the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old Laurence Harbor man last year the state Attorney General’s Office announced A state grand jury voted April 8 that Officer Christopher Hammel was justified in the April 2023 fatal shooting of Luke Mendez Hammel responded around 3:09 p.m. April 24, 2023 to a 911 call about a dispute at a residence on Woodland Avenue in Laurence Harbor where he encountered Mendez who appeared at the top of an interior staircase holding a knife Hammel instructed Mendez to put the knife down Mendez was transported to Old Bridge Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead at 4:47 p.m The shooting was investigated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability OLD BRIDGE – Two people were found dead following an overnight fire that damaged a home in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge,Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C Carey and Old Bridge Police Chief William Volkert said Thursday in a statement were discovered shortly after the fire was reported at 445 Harding Road in Laurence Harbor at 11:39 p.m The cause of the deaths remains undetermined pending the completion of autopsies by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner's Office Members of the Laurence Harbor Fire Department were dispatched to the blaze An investigation into the cause of the fire is being conducted by the Prosecutor's Office Old Bridge Police Department and local fire authorities The fire is not being labeled suspicious and the safety of the surrounding community is not at issue It was not immediately known if fire detectors had been installed in the home Carey reminded residents that they should have fire detectors placed in bedrooms and hallways and should regularly change batteries in the devices Staff Writer Everett Merrill: 908-243-6606; emerrill@mycentraljersey.com OLD BRIDGE – Police are investigating after a 65-year-old woman was found dead in her home in the Laurence Harbor section Saturday morning announced the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office The woman was identified as Deborah Brown-Hepworth said Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Old Bridge Acting Police Chief Donald Fritz Jr Police received a 911 call around 11:05 a.m Saturday reporting that a woman was found unresponsive in her home on Hanna Lane by a relative Arriving officers located Brown-Hepworth who was pronounced dead at the scene Local:An Old Bridge cop's 'inappropriate conversation' was recorded. He’s suing over his firing and the case is being investigated as a homicide The investigation into Brown-Hepworth's death is continuing Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to contact Old Bridge Detective Addie Spinola at 732- 721-5600 ext 3181 or Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Detective Mark Morris at 732-745-3927 Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime please subscribe or activate your digital account today OLD BRIDGE - The former site of a senior center and school in the Laurence Harbor section of the township is being demolished paving the way for an affordable housing project The proposed project will consist of 12 single-family duplex units that will be available for purchase Township Business Administrator/CFO/Director of Finance READ: Old Bridge schools cuts 85 positions, raises taxes READ: Old Bridge Municipal Complex to undergo renovation The township selected Costanza Builders of New Jersey Inc The project is part of the township’s master plan as a recently adopted areas designated in need of redevelopment and is included in the township's Declaratory Judgement of Compliance and Repose of the Third Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan will be conditionally transferred to the redeveloper with a deed restriction that says that the land must be developed with 100 percent affordable units The developer is not going to pay for the land as it is the township's contribution for the development of the COAH unit which is required for the state grant for the project to make it affordable The township is responsible for the cost of things such as demolition and other work at the site, Mayor Owen Henry said.  A demolition contract was awarded for $47,000 The environmental cost and engineering consultant cost was $28,483.74 Costanza is currently pursuing grants for the proposed project the redeveloper will apply for the necessary township approvals The proposed project will conform to the neighborhood, he said The developer will oversee the sales process which will be reviewed to ensure the applicant is in compliance with New Jersey Fair Housing Act of 1985 "That building has been abandoned for many years," Henry said "The building was a safety hazard and a health hazard This will be a huge improvement over having an empty The people who buy these units will have easy access to mass transit and access to the beachfront It's going to be good for the whole area. The units will probably be in big demand."  The building being demolished most recently housed the Laurence Harbor Senior Center the building was home to Laurence Harbor School No according to the Madison-Old Bridge Township Historical Society.  The building was built in 1927 and operated as an elementary school up until the early 1960s when it had become obsolete according to a report by Sam Rizzo, a member of the Madison-Old Bridge Historical Society and former Township Planner The depression had turned the bungalow housing in Laurence Harbor into year-round housing which caused the eventual closing of School No Elementary school children in the area were then sent to Memorial Elementary School in Laurence Harbor The building remained vacant for more than 15 years The township purchased the property from the Old Bridge Township Board of Education in 1979 and the building reopened as a senior center the building became flooded during Hurricane Floyd mold and other water-related problems the senior citizens stopped using the building and it was later abandoned.   The site is not listed on the Madison-Old Bridge Township Historical Society's list or the state's list historical buildings according to the historical society.  There are no anticipated road closures expected due to the demolition.  Staff Writer Susan Loyer: 732-565-7243; sloyer@gannettnj.com The NJ Attorney General’s Office released footage from a police body-worn camera and audio from a 9-1-1 call related to a fatal police-involved shooting on April 24 in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge State officials say the decedent was previously identified as Luke Mendez Attorney General Matthew Platkin said the officer who fired his service weapon at Mr Mendez was identified as Officer Christopher Hammel of the Old Bridge Police Department The fatal shooting is under investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) The recordings are being released pursuant to policies established by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 to promote the fair and transparent investigation of fatal police encounters Investigators previously met with the family of Mr Mendez to provide them an opportunity to review the recordings before they were publicly released According to the preliminary investigation police responded to a 9-1-1 call regarding a dispute on April 24 at approximately 3:09 p.m. at a residence on Woodland Avenue in Laurence Harbor Mendez ran down a staircase holding a knife He was then transported to Old Bridge Medical Center and was pronounced deceased at 4:47 p.m The recordings can be viewed and listened to here: https://njoag.box.com/s/p53if3wmodn2lijbakzjbxv5oepvak89 The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Susan K. Livio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comOLD BRIDGE — The photos on the family room wall survived but not much else in what must have been a cozy bungalow on the water in Laurence Harbor The walls had collapsed and the windows and doors were torn away on the scarlet red house So were many of the boats dry-docked in the surrounding marinas The section of town on the Sayreville border — no stranger to surviving rough conditions a homeowner wearing waders and a hooded sweatshirt who came back to survey the damage to the two homes she's owned for 35 years "Is that my patio furniture?" Pulaski asked her family "How come there are clothes in the trees?" was the intense churning and bubbling in the three-feet high water next to one of her houses sweet odor wafted through what was left of Cliffwood Way a rental property that had buckled and sagged "Thank God my people — they just had a baby — moved out." A man who identified himself as Theo who lived atop a hill said he could see from his home the water surging as high as 25 feet last night around 9 pm No mercy — that's what it was," he said Cliffwood Beach residents Ed Gladis and Brian Roloff said their homes fared well they walked to Laurence Harbor to see what was left "There used to be 70 boats dry-docked — these boats were out of the water safely tucked away," Gladis said "There's nothing there now." Roloff said no other storm had done so much damage "This is nothing like I have ever seen." • As Hurricane Sandy wreaks havoc across N.J., residents watch floodwaters rise • Hurricane Sandy evacuees settle in at Old Bridge shelter Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices \n m_gallery = \"monmouth_county_slammed_by_hurricane_sandy_\";\n m_gallery_id = \"11781265\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Monmouth County slammed by Hurricane Sandy \";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4504\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Tuesday 11:59 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.nj.com/4504/gallery/monmouth_county_slammed_by_hurricane_sandy_/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.nj.com/photogallery/4504/11781265.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Monmouth County slammed by Hurricane Sandy a major builder and leading advocate for affordable housing in New Jersey wants to build more affordable units in the township Morris Habitat is seeking preliminary and final major site plan and subdivision approval to construct a 12-unit affordable residential townhome development in six duplex buildings with associated site improvements at 200 Laurence Parkway in the Laurence Harbor section which has been designated by the township as an area in need of redevelopment is located in a residential zone where townhomes are permitted The property is owned by the township and Morris Habitat is the conditionally designated redeveloper of the property The property formerly was the site of the Laurence Harbor Senior Citizen and Social Services Center which was demolished several years ago For subscribers:An Old Bridge cop's 'inappropriate conversation' was recorded. He’s suing over his firing The townhome units will be restricted for sale to owners with low- and moderate-income levels and the project is included as part of the township's affordable housing court settlement The applicant is seeking variances for landscape ratio and parking A public hearing on the application is scheduled to be held at the 7:30 p.m He was last seen kayaking in Raritan Bay just off Keyport marina on Monday He called 911 that afternoon from his kayak to report that his kayak was taking on water Keyport Police called in the Coast Guard to search for him and they searched Raritan Bay for 36 hours Keyport Police made the sober discovery of finding his upturned kayak along with his personal belongings and cell phone the body of an adult man washed up on the beach near American Legion Drive Keyport Police announced the body was that of Ding and is in close contact with us," said Keyport Police "Our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the friends and family for the loss of Mr Coast Guard Ends Search For Missing Monmouth County Kayaker (Oct Man's Body Washed Ashore On Keyport Beach Sunday Night (Oct 2021 at 10:39 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Google Maps)OLD BRIDGE NJ — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will take over clean-up of the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge The Raritan Bay Slag site is actually the seawall along Raritan Bay in Laurence Harbor The EPA will carry out remediation design plans for the site the federal government has not released a date for when they will finish The Asbury Park Press quoted Acting EPA Region Administrator Walter Mugdan saying that the EPA's work on the site would "possibly" begin more than a year from now "Possibly as early as 2023 you should be able to see work underway in front of you here," Mugdan said The $50 million project "has got to be designed very carefully so that it can be done properly and safely." which is waste from the bottom of industrial blast furnaces used to smelt metal in the late 1960s to early 1970s At the request of state of New Jersey — and this area's Congressman Frank Pallone (D) — the federal government designated the Laurence Harbor seawall a Superfund site that section of the seawall has been blocked off to the public the public can still use the Laurence Harbor beach and Old Bridge Waterfront Park Congressman Pallone announced Thursday that the EPA will take over at the site "This is a big day for the Old Bridge community which will ultimately be able to use the space without fear of the health risks that come with living near a Superfund site,” said Congressman Pallone “The EPA now has a plan to take over the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site which will ensure it is properly cleaned up." which would ensure polluters pay for the cleanup of Superfund sites His bill would reinstate the full extent of the Superfund taxes on corporate polluters Be the first to know. Sign up to get Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com NJ - Kathy and Drew Litchkowski planned on staying in their Laurence Harbor home for a long one-story bungalow at 9 Cliffwood Way sits at the end of a quiet street They could walk to the beach at Old Bridge Waterfront Park “My husband’s lived on that street his whole life; we’ve had storms before where the water came up But it was nothing like Sandy,” Kathy told Patch I would not wish (what happened) on my worst enemy.” their foundation and nearly came into their living room only to return later by canoe to salvage anything they could The home and the property had been destroyed and the Litchkowskis slowly realized they could never live there again they would have to tear down the property and rebuild from scratch New state law mandated that all homes on their street be raised by at least 15 feet The couple now lives in Aberdeen — but they were stuck with the Laurence Beach property 9 Cliffwood Way became the first property in Old Bridge to be bought by the state Department of Environmental Protection as part of Blue Acres the DEP has bought similar distressed properties nearby in Woodbridge It’s money Kathy says she and her husband wouldn’t have been able to get otherwise “I truly am very thankful for the Blue Acres Program; without them I don’t know what we would have done,” she said “I don’t think we would have been able to sell the property.” 9 Cliffwood Way will be demolished and turned into open space The aim of the Blue Acres buyback is to use state money to buy distressed properties and turn them into open space which will absorb flood water and alleviate flooding when the next big storm hits Environmental advocates praise the program except for one problem: Blue Acres needs more cash Federal funds for Blue Acres are running low 9 Cliffwood Way was purchased using funding from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development Tittel says there are many people in New Jersey like the Litchkowskis who want to get bought out and are waiting for money Chris Christie appropriates more state funding to Blue Acres The federal government will match any state money Christie steers towards Blue Acres A state DEP spokesman says Tittel is wrong and there is still about $50 million left in the program So far the state has extended offers to 700 homeowners and 534 homeowners have accepting the state’s offer Closings have been completed on 412 properties the DEP extended the same offer to Kathy’s mother-in-law The older woman is now just waiting to close she hasn’t been able to stop crying for the past two years OLD BRIDGE – Taylor Elie of Queens  and her family are looking forward to moving into their new single-family home on Norwood Avenue in the Laurence Harbor section of the township thanks to the help of Morris Habitat for Humanity.  I won't have to load up the car and go to the laundromat My kids will no longer have to share a room Morris Habitat for Humanity, part of the global nonprofit housing organization committed to building homes, united women on Tuesday for Women Build Day at the site of Elie’s and her family’s new home was to spotlight the need for safe and affordable housing and the homeownership challenges facing women said the organization also wants to bring attention to the fact that women can build too.  Through volunteer labor and donations of money and material Habitat for Humanity builds affordable new homes and provides home repair services to income-eligible families.  More: Perth Amboy approves Morris Habitat for Humanity affordable housing plan More: Morris Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on first Middlesex County home have never been able to afford a home though both work full-time jobs. They will be sharing the three-bedroom house with their 19-year-old daughter The Elies are contributing 450 hours of "sweat equity" toward building the home.   Wilson said the family has been traveling from Queens several times a week putting in work at the home who was joined by her two children at the event, said the family worked hard for their new home and will be paying a mortgage taxes and other costs associated with home ownership "We did have a little help to get to this point Volunteers from local businesses and organizations as well as Mayor Owen Henry and members of his staff and Council Vice President Debbie Walker joined Morris Habitat and the Elie family at the event Henry said the community supports the project "It means a lot to us to bring good families into Old Bridge," he said "There's nothing more important to a family than having a place to call home."  Dianaliz Santiago-Borcan was among the employees of CS Energy in Edison "I like helping out and my company likes helping out," she said "They give volunteer paid time off throughout the year so we can volunteer to participate in activities like this."    Jennie Calderone with the Old Bridge Chick-fil-A said the business was asked to donate lunches for the event "We love to get involved in the community and we're all about community engagement and community building and this was something that we were passionate about, providing homes for those who might not be able to do it on their own," Calderone said we've been able to do OK for ourselves," Lucy Cordero said. "This is something we can do to help other people that might not have the funds to get a place of their own It's something they will have of their own and something that they will love coming home to." Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.  .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Greg Hatala | For NJ Advance Mediamx1016history.jpg Photo courtesy of the Old Bridge Public Library LAURENCE HARBOR -- The Bowne Provost family cemetery in Laurence Harbor is seen in this undated photo Located at the northern end of Shoreland Circle members of the Bowne and Provost families are interred there The Provost Estate was built on a bluff overlooking the Raritan Bay with the Bowne property next door According to strangeusa.com the cemetery has graves dating back to the Civil War and numerous sightings of ghosts and mysterious figures have been reported over the years If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries Thursdays on nj.com Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook \n m_gallery = \"vintage_scary_photos_from_nj\";\n m_gallery_id = \"21294913\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Vintage scary photos from N.J.\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4504\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Wednesday 7:09 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.nj.com/4504/gallery/vintage_scary_photos_from_nj/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.nj.com/photogallery/4504/21294913.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mark Di Ionno | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comOLD BRIDGE TWP. — The Jersey Shore starts at Laurence Harbor The Middlesex County hamlet is unmistakably a beach town; it sits on a bluff overlooking the Raritan Bay In the center is a large parking lot with a bathhouse pavilion to accommodate beachgoers the residential street that overlooks the boardwalk and dunes is a mixed collection of old narrow bungalows and those recently expanded and modernized it looks like a neighborhood in any beachfront town There is no endless summer in Laurence Harbor these days black chain-link fence that keeps most of the beach closed the federal Environmental Protection Agency closed most of Laurence Harbor’s beaches and put 1.3 miles of Middlesex County waterfront on its list of Superfund sites which was taken from the old National Lead industrial site in Sayreville and used to anchor jetties and bolster the seawall in the area The EPA has a "preferred remedy" for the site but will not make it public until next month there will be a 30- to 45-day public hearing period "We can’t discuss the proposal until it is made public," said Elias Rodriguez who added no exact date in July has been decided Any cleanup schedule is contingent on the remediation plan that is decided." Most people in Laurence Harbor take it in stride "I got over being angry two years ago," said Donna Wilson who was working on her elaborate garden on her property She bought one of the shotgun shacks for $395,000 a few years back — "I didn’t buy the bungalow and the view," she said — and began renovating right away A bungalow two doors down is now on the market for $260,000 "I don’t worry too much about that," she said In the three years since the beach was cordoned off the word "slag" became part of the vernacular of the Middlesex County waterfront slag is "the vitreous mass left as a residue by the smelting of metallic ore." it is a vitreous mess left as the residue of heavy industry that once dominated the bayshore then made worse by the decision 50 years ago to use the slag on the seawalls and jetties The 2,500 feet of seawall in Laurence Harbor have shown elevated levels of lead The word "slag" is now synonymous with frustration "You wonder what the holdup is," said Dana Stovall ran around the playground just a few yards from the fenced-off slag "They put up the fence and that was that Most of the slag on the Middlesex waterfront is in an industrial waste-product called kettle bottoms; the hardened gunk left over in the smelting process They anchor the jetty at Cheesequake Creek in the Morgan section of Sayreville and were dumped among the granite boulders along the seawall the kettle bottoms are burnt-orange in color The slag contamination stretches from the creek jetty to Cliffwood Beach But there are places along the way where beaches are open Part of the community frustration with the beach closing lies in what is still open The fishing jetty at Cheesequake Creek is closed "I’m trying to understand this contamination," said Peter Insalaco who owns the bait shop and tackle shop at Laurence Harbor why is the water safe here (the open beach) and not there (the closed)." While most of the Laurence Harbor Beach is closed So is the beach just a few feet from the closed section where Nicole Oropallo waded in to put her kayak in the water Download our free NJ.com mobile and tablet apps to keep up with the latest New Jersey news "It would be nice if they got it cleaned up," she said Insalaco said the presence of the fence is "killing business in the area." after the previous owner went out of business two years before "I opened hoping the beach would reopen soon," he said "That’s what doesn’t make sense," he said She once lived in a bungalow on Shoreline Drive "He swam in this water since he was a kid," she said ‘When will we be able to go back in the water?’" • Mark in the Morning: A scenic drive and the stench of garbage • Di Ionno: Through 56 years, Newark elementary school teacher has seen it all • Mark in the Morning: The tragic harbingers of summer Check out 'Mark in the Morning,' an online-only column from Star-Ledger columnist Mark Di Ionno taking on the day's biggest issues in New Jersey and beyond \n m_gallery = \"laurence_harbor_beach_remains_closed_as_summer_begins\";\n m_gallery_id = \"11214273\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Laurence Harbor beach remains closed as summer begins\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4504\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Thursday 4:00 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.nj.com/4504/gallery/laurence_harbor_beach_remains_closed_as_summer_begins/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.nj.com/photogallery/4504/11214273.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Laurence Harbor beach remains closed as summer begins in the last weekend they spent together in Jersey City The younger Mendez was shot and killed by an Old Bridge police officer on April 24 (Provided by Lou Mendez)A view down Woodland Avenue in Laurence Harbor where a police officer shot and killed Luke Mendez (Carly Baldwin/Patch)Outside Old Bridge Police headquarters Monday morning NJ —The father of the 26-year-old man who was fatally shot by an Old Bridge police officer last Monday said he wants answers as to how this happened "I want everyone involved in this held accountable He used excessive force and killed my 26-year-old son He was fatally shot April 24 inside his home by Old Bridge Police Officer Christopher Hammel according to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin The elder Mendez was not in the home at the time of the fatal shooting; he was in Jersey City Platkin's office declined to comment on anything Mendez said no charges have been filed against Hammel; the investigation is still underway Anytime someone is killed by a police officer in New Jersey and present findings to a grand jury to decide if a crime occurred He didn't deserve this; nobody deserves this," Mendez said through tears in a phone interview "My son was a law-abiding American who was gunned down and killed in his own home I thought our state was supposed to make changes to make sure police don't do things like this anymore." Luke was living in a two-story home on Woodland Avenue with his mother Luke's older brother relocated to the Jersey City area with his father while Luke stayed behind in Old Bridge Mendez said his son was "very quiet" and often stayed in his room and he suffered from on and off depression "I tried to get my son to come up here and live with me good kid who stayed in his room all the time." told Patch that there was "always fighting" in the home and that police were called there frequently on April 24 Old Bridge Police again received a 911 call to come to the Woodland Avenue home One officer was dispatched and arrived before 3: 10 p.m Mendez was taken to Old Bridge Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 4:47 p.m Louis Mendez said Luke's grandmother witnessed the entire interaction and shooting of her grandson and she was so upset she too had to be hospitalized Neighbors said they saw two ambulances that day and saw the elderly woman being carried out of the house the father wants to know why the police officer did not de-escalate the situation and instead immediately used deadly force against his son That cop should have tased him or de-escalated it," he said This 2020 report from the Attorney General shows that not many police departments in New Jersey have Taser-like devices In 2020, after the death of George Floyd and others, the New Jersey Attorney General and Gov. Phil Murphy passed sweeping changes to how police can use force against civilians. The policy changes were specifically called "Reducing Use of Force by Law Enforcement." New Jersey started re-training officers on use of force Here are some key orders from the Attorney General on how police are supposed to operate now in New Jersey: Mendez's son was still killed by a police officer "I've been reading about all these changes; I thought police were supposed to not do this anymore," said Mendez He recalled a recent weekend when Luke came up to visit him in Jersey City "We hung out; we rode bikes along the waterfront together It was a really good weekend," Mendez said Mendez said he has always been a supporter of the police and at one point considered becoming an officer himself "The police issues that have been going around the country for the past few years reached my doorstep I want everyone to know: This could be your children Friday's report: Identity Released Of Old Bridge Man Killed By Police Officer .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Kevin Manahan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comThe raccoon looks awfully comfy — did she just yawn — stretched out in the hollow of a tree roughly 10 feet above a redwood deck in a shady backyard in Staten Island judging from the wood shavings scattered below she has decided to hollow out additional living space maybe an extra bedroom or a man cave for her mate or — heaven forbid Frank Spiecker of Harbor Wildlife Control already has spent 24 hours trying to lure her down with his secret-formula bait (don’t ask for the recipe he ain’t tellin’) and two strategically placed traps Spiecker was summoned from his Laurence Harbor office by a homeowner who had been sipping wine on his deck after a hard day of work when (insert freaking-out cursing and screaming here) the raccoon leaped onto a table and went nose-to-nose who might need a defibrillator if it happens again understandably wants the animal gone — like yesterday And when homeowners and businesses want critters removed — anything from pythons (oh he’s caught those) to pesky squirrels — Spiecker gets the call climbs up and snaps an overhead photo of the chillaxin’ critter to include with the bill ("Customers like to see what they paid for," he says.) The raccoon might as well have smirked and winked at him as it sipped a piña colada in a recliner because Spiecker is now ticked off that the capture is taking this long has a snare looped tightly around the raccoon’s neck But this isn’t going to be an easy eviction digs her claws into the tree and hisses with hatred takes her to the deck and shoves her into a cage you’d need to watch the slow-motion replay to digest the entire takedown the naked eye missed the part when the raccoon raccoons will pee themselves almost every time." Business is booming for Spiecker these days They’re burrowing under sheds or platform decks or treating Dumpsters and garbage cans like all-you-can-eat buffets "Animals look at your house like it’s a tree," says John Griffin director of wildlife services for the Humane Society of the United States ‘The animals are targeting me,’ but they’re not "And when it comes to urban environments They’re very resourceful in finding food and shelter that people unwittingly provide." The National Wildlife Federation estimates the nation’s largest 35 metro areas could lose another 22,000 square miles of green space by 2025 thanks to New Jersey (and New York) sprawl man and creature are crossing paths more often than ever He’s one of a handful of wildlife control agents who handle the jobs that county and municipal governments won’t he repairs the damage they’ve done to homes then guarantees against the critters’ return: "I get ’em out and keep ’em out," he says It’s a sign of the financial strain many are under when you have limited dollars and limited personnel it’s one of the services that very well may not be tended to," says Bill Dressel who heads the New Jersey State League of Municipalities "Public officials are sensitive to the needs of their constitutions and their citizens but these are dire fiscal times we live in." he trapped two pup foxes from beneath a shed in Monmouth County; set up specially designed squirrel traps on the roofs of two Central Jersey homes; wrapped things up at a New Brunswick address where he had trapped four groundhogs trying to mess up a homeowner’s freshly landscaped backyard; explained to a Bergen County woman by phone how to get an angry cat into a carrier (no charge); directed a Sussex County caller to a wildlife control agent in her neck of the woods; and cased a strip mall with a feral cat problem "I’m usually busier than this," he says He recalls when one family spent a small fortune on landscaping They awoke one morning to find the sod rolled up Spiecker caught the culprits: raccoons who were after the grubs in the dirt And there was the python probably released by a pet owner who either went broke trying to feed it or became frightened when it grew to roughly 12 feet but the massive snake tried to squeeze the life out of him Spiecker breathlessly called to his father who had come along only because the job was on the way to the gun range "Help me get it off!" Spiecker yelled Some knucklehead had turned his basement into a gator lair But when he had a beef with family members they got even by reporting him (and his fast-growing illegal pet) to authorities "Probably because nobody else would be crazy enough to mess with it," Spiecker says The wild animals Spiecker catches are euthanized or relocated depending on the laws governing the area and the animals He insists he does "everything by the book," and then holds up the book of regulations nuisance wildlife control agents must be licensed Spiecker began trapping in and around Laurence Harbor when he was knee-high to a gopher — even sneaking out of Cedar Ridge High School in the 1970s to trap during lunch hour with his buddies Raccoon pelts went for $40; muskrats for about $18 He recently was elected president of the New Jersey chapter of the National Wildlife Control Operators Association and if there’s one thing he’s learned about varmints Spiecker stops for coffee and fields a call A groundhog has invaded a Central Jersey yard Spiecker gives the caller a price: $130 to set up $110 for every animal caught in the trap — until the groundhog is captured (Sometimes the targeted animal is not the first one caught.) The woman mistakenly believes Spiecker works for the municipality I ain’t payin’ for you to get rid of no groundhog." "And I’ll be here next week when you call back." Star-Ledger staff writer Ryan Hutchins contributed to this report Follow @NJ_News \n m_gallery = \"the_verminator_pesky_critters_big_or_small_laurence_harbor_man_gets_them_all\";\n m_gallery_id = \"11391967\";\n m_gallery_title = \"The verminator: Pesky critters big or small Laurence Harbor man gets them all\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4504\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Saturday 5:23 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.nj.com/4504/gallery/the_verminator_pesky_critters_big_or_small_laurence_harbor_man_gets_them_all/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.nj.com/photogallery/4504/11391967.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: The verminator: Pesky critters big or small The son was shot and killed by an Old Bridge police officer last April in Laurence Harbor (Photo provided by Luke Mendez)A view down Woodland Avenue in Laurence Harbor where the young man was fatally shot inside his home NJ — A grand jury voted not to file any criminal charges against the Old Bridge Police officer who shot and killed Luke Mendez Mendez was fatally shot by Old Bridge Police Officer Christopher Hammel on April 24 A grand jury determined April 8 that Officer Hammel did not do anything illegal and that he did not use unjustified force when Mendez charged down a staircase at him The young man's grieving father is Luke Mendez He has long maintained that the officer should have used non-lethal force when his son charged at him "I don’t know what to say … I lost my son to a police shooting," Mendez said previously as per the state Attorney General's guidelines They voted April 8 of "no bill," meaning no charges would be filed against Hammel Father Of Man Killed By Old Bridge Police: 'This Could Be Your Son' (May 2023) Body-Camera Video Released In Old Bridge Police Fatal Shooting (July 2023) Officer Hammel responded to a 911 call regarding an argument at a home on Woodland Avenue in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge The young man lived in that home with his mother "I want to kick him out of the house," an unidentified woman's voice is heard in the 911 call Officer Hammel arrived and briefly chatted with two older people in the living room of the home the police officer's tone is cheerful and calm and instructs the two adults to remain in the living room As body-camera video showed Luke greeted him at the top of the stairs while holding a knife The police officer immediately took out his gun pointed it at the younger man and told him multiple times to drop the knife Mendez appears visibly upset and asked the officer multiple times to "please just leave." He then descended down the stairs holding the knife That's when Hammel fired his service weapon Mendez was transported to Old Bridge Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 4:47 p.m Some people may find the video difficult to watch) today is feeling the effects of industrial transformation begun decades ago the National Lead Company became the largest lead company in the United States The company is perhaps best known for their white-lead paints One of its many facilities was located in Perth Amboy where it operated a lead smelter that generated wastes containing lead and other hazardous substances slag from National Lead's lead smelter in Perth Amboy was used as building material to construct a seawall along the southern shoreline of Raritan Bay several miles to the south of the facility Slag is a stony waste by-product of smelting or refining processes containing various metals and demolition debris were used to fill in some areas of a nearby marsh and littered the marsh and beaches along the bay the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection received a tip that the slag being placed along Raritan Bay at the Laurence Harbor beachfront contained lead contamination from the slag and other wastes began leaching into the water which is home to a variety of aquatic life but evidence of the pollution only became available decades later hyperactivity and other behavioral disorders The order requires the removal of lead-contaminated material and its replacement with clean material in order to reduce the risk to those who use the beach