News Transcript News Briefs, Aug. 31

The Manalapan Zoning Board of Adjustment is scheduled to hear an application at its Sept. 1 meeting from Scalps Micropigmentation, LLC, as the applicant, and RST Corp., as the applicant/owner, for variance relief to operate a medical tattoo facility in a building at 348 Route 9 North, Manalapan.

According to a legal notice published by attorney Kenneth Pape, who represents the applicant, the 1.2-acre property is improved with a two-story building that has retail space on the first floor and office space on the second floor.

The property is in a General Commercial zone. No revisions to the property or the building are proposed, except for the use of 1,819 square feet of floor space on the second floor for the proposed medical tattoo facility.

According to the legal notice, the proposed medical tattoo facility is not specifically a permitted use in the zone and the applicant is seeking a use variance to operate the business at the location.

The zoning board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 1 in the municipal building, 120 Route 522. The meeting is open to the public.

 

Two men who were long-serving volunteer firefighters in the Freehold area died within one week of each other in August.

Abram S. Conk, 83, died on Aug. 13 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township.

According to an obituary posted online by the Clayton and McGirr Funeral Home, Freehold Township, Conk was born in Long Branch and was a lifelong resident of Freehold. He served in the U.S. Navy as an airman and was honorably discharged. He worked as a school bus driver for the Freehold Township Board of Education for 25 years.

Within the community, Conk was a founding member and a life member of Freehold Township Independent Fire Company No. 1, where he served since 1963.

A memorial service for Conk was held at the Bethesda United Methodist Church, Adelphia section of Howell, on Aug. 19. Inurnment will be in the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown, at a later date.

A second local fireman, Robert G. Taylor, 82, of Freehold Borough, died on Aug. 19 at The Manor, Freehold Township.

According to an obituary posted online by the Freeman Funeral Home, Freehold Borough, Taylor was born and raised in Freehold.

Taylor was the chairman of the Monmouth County Joint Fire Council, past president of the Western Monmouth Mutual Aid Association and a member of the New Jersey State Fire Chiefs Association.

Within the community, Taylor was a member of the Freehold Fire Department, Freehold Borough, for 61 years and served as the Ex-Chief. He was also the Ex-Captain of the fire department’s Goodwill Hook and Ladder Company.

Taylor was retired following a career with Bell Labs, Holmdel.

A service for Taylor was held at the Freeman Funeral Home on Aug. 22. Interment was private.

The Manalapan Police Department has reported the following incidents which recently occurred in the community:

• On Aug. 10 at 7:11 a.m., a Manalapan resident reported that sometime between 5 p.m. Aug. 9 and 7 a.m. Aug. 10, a 2019 black Hyundai Sonata was stolen from a Medford Court parking lot. Patrolman James Joiner took the report.

• On Aug. 10 at 11:41 a.m., a Manalapan resident reported that unknown individuals withdrew funds from a bank account in the amount of $19,650. The victim was not held responsible for the fraudulent transactions. Patrolman Joseph DeFilippis handled the report.

• On Aug. 10 at 1:58 p.m., employees of the Battleground Country Club, 40 Millhurst Road, reported that an unknown individual forced open a door to a maintenance building. No
contents were reported stolen from the building. Patrolman Joseph DeFilippis
handled the report.

• On Aug. 11 at 5 p.m., a Manalapan resident reported that an unknown individual used the victim’s credit card to make $6,494 worth of fraudulent charges. Patrolman Aaron Abeles handled the report.

• On Aug. 14 at 5:11 p.m., a Manalapan resident reported that unknown individuals removed a catalytic convertor valued at $1,500 from a vehicle that was parked at
41 Wilson Ave. The theft occurred sometime between May 2022 and Aug. 14. Patrolman Bart Mattaliano handled the report.

• On Aug. 15 at 7:55 a.m., employees of the Manalapan Department of Public Works reported that sometime between Aug. 13-15, unknown individuals forced open a door and a window to a shed at 153 Freehold Road. No items were removed from the structure, which sustained about $100 worth of damage. Patrolman Kyle Williams handled the report.

• On Aug. 16 at 1:31 a.m., a Manalapan resident reported that several masked individuals were attempting to open the front and rear doors of an Equinox Lane residence. The individuals subsequently fled the area without gaining access to the residence. Patrolman James Guarino took the report.

 

The 13th annual Foodstock will take place on Oct. 15 at the Freehold Township Independent Fire Company No. 1, Stillwells Corner Road, from 1-6 p.m.

Foodstock NJ is a grassroots 501(c)3 organization that has been formed to assist with the needs of less fortunate community members who are struggling to put food on their table, according to a press release.

The effort began in 2010 with a small food drive event and has subsequently collected more than 920,000 pounds of food and raised more than $250,000 in cash donations, according to the press release.

This year’s goal is to collect 100,000 pounds of food and to raise $30,000 in monetary donations. Everyone is invited to participate in Foodstock.

Suggested donations are non-perishable food items, a tax deductible monetary donation or a Foodstock T-shirt sponsorship ($250 or $500). All are welcome to enjoy a day of music, food and fun. Each attendee is asked to provide at least 50 pounds of nonperishable food.