The Jackson Memorial High School Jaguar Marching Band will host a “Showcase of Champions” marching band competition on Oct. 9.
Award-winning bands from around the state will compete and be judged on music and the performance of their field show.
The Jackson Memorial band will perform its show “Heroes,” which pays tribute to police, firefighters, EMS, military personnel and health care workers.
All are invited to attend the show. There will be food, vendors, a 50/50 raffle and a gift basket auction. The event will be held at Jack Munley Field at Jackson Memorial High School, 101 Don Connor Blvd., Jackson. The band competition will begin at 6:20 p.m. and the Jaguars will perform at 8:15 p.m.
All proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Jaguar Marching Band. Discounted admission for individuals in uniform or with a military or first responder ID. The Jackson Memorial band is under the direction of Jason Diaz and Eric Ficarra.
Emergency financial preparedness is a necessity for every family. The Ocean County Library Jackson Branch invites the community to an interactive financial planning seminar at 2 p.m. Oct. 14.
“Achieving Financial Fitness” will be presented by certified financial planner and
retirement planning counselor Laura Reeves, local business owner of LJR Financial.
Attendees will learn how to organize and maintain financial paperwork, determine when
obsolete documents can be discarded, avoid money scams, and conduct estate planning.
A question and answer period will follow the presentation.
Reeves and her financial colleagues tailor financial portfolios that include investments,
insurance, taxation, funding for education and health care, and legacy planning, according to a press release.
Registration at www.theoceancountylibrary.org/events is required for this free program.
The Howell Police Department, the Howell Alliance and Walmart will host a National DEA Prescription Drug Take-Back event on Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Walmart, 4900 Route 9 South, Howell.
Individuals may bring their unwanted electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, prescription medications and over-the-counter medications for disposal. Individuals are asked to black out names from prescriptions.
Batteries must be removed from e-cigarettes and vaping devices before drop-off, and needles and syringes cannot be accepted, according to a press release.
The Howell Alliance collaborates across the community to prevent substance abuse, underage drinking and marijuana use, alcoholism, tobacco/nicotine use, vaping, and other at-risk behaviors.
The alliance promotes physical, mental, emotional and social well-being and the reduction of substance use and mental health disorder stigmas through providing awareness, resources and education to all community populations.
For more information, contact Christa Riddle at 732-938-4500, ext. 4012, or by email at [email protected]
A Howell resident who was convicted of being in possession of child sexual abuse materials on two separate occasions since 2017 has been sentenced to an
extended term of five years to be served at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center at
Avenel (Woodbridge), Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced on Sept. 30.
Thomas Vilanova, 50, was also sentenced to parole supervision for life under the terms set down by state Superior Court Judge Lourdes Lucas, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
An investigation by the Monmouth County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, initiated via a tip received through the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children, resulted in Vilanova first being convicted of third degree endangering the welfare
of a child via possession of child sexual abuse material in July 2017, according to the press release.
As a condition of his plea in that case, Vilanova agreed to be subject to remote monitoring of his online activities.
In September 2020, a Monmouth County senior probation officer contacted the Howell Police Department to report that Vilanova may have downloaded child sexual abuse materials from his desktop computer at home, according to the press release.
Vilanova turned himself in to police in October 2020 and pleaded guilty in June 2021, this time also admitting to a violation of probation. He became eligible for extended-term sentencing due to his second conviction, and was deemed a repetitive and compulsive
offender following an evaluation, according to the press release.