Stephanie Faughnan

New Jersey

Freelance Journalist at Jersey Shore Online

News Reporter and Columnist at Freelance

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Articles

Ocean County Wildfire Renews Call For Disaster Preparedness

1 week ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

OCEAN COUNTY – The massive wildfire burning deep in southern Ocean County offered some reminders for local residents. Life at the Jersey Shore isn’t just about sun and sand – it’s also about preparing for the real danger of forest fires. The Jones Road Wildfire, first spotted at 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22, from the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower, scorched 15,300 acres in the Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area.
12-Year Sentence Offered To Teacher In Sex Abuse Case

1 week ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

FREEHOLD – The defense attorney for Allison Havemann-Niedrach, the former Freehold Intermediate School teacher indicted on multiple charges of sexual abuse involving a teenage student, stated this week that he is considering a motion to dismiss the indictment based on his client’s diminished capacity. Freehold attorney Thomas Huth, representing Havemann-Niedrach, further advised Superior Court Judge Jill Grace O’Malley that he is awaiting transcripts from the Grand Jury Indictment hearing.
Kindness Of Helpers Remembered After Ocean County Wildfire

1 week ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

OCEAN COUNTY – As flames from the Jones Road wildfire threatened homes, farms, and neighborhoods, it wasn’t just firefighters and police officers who stepped up. All across the area, a wave of kindness, generosity, and humanity surged forward – from shopkeepers and church members to neighbors and complete strangers. Their actions didn’t make headlines, but they made a difference.
Every Object Has A Story At Appraisal Fair

1 week ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

LACEY – You never know what might be sitting in your attic – until someone with a trained eye and a jeweler’s loupe takes a closer look. Locals discovered just that at the Lacey Historical Society’s recent appraisal fair, held inside the charming Old Schoolhouse Museum. For just $6, attendees could have their antiques, family heirlooms, and dusty curios examined by two of the most seasoned collectors in the business: Daniel and Marilyn Melega.
Seniors Fearful As Barnegat Council Moves To Dissolve Rent Board

2 weeks ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

BARNEGAT – A year ago, many of the residents of Pinewood Estates and Brighton at Barnegat were singing the praises of local officials. The township had reinstated its Rent Leveling Board ordinance, a safeguard they believed would protect them from predatory rent hikes and unfair corporate practices. For seniors living on tight, fixed incomes, it felt like a lifeline. But residents in the two manufactured home communities now feel that support is being taken from them.
Ocean County Considers Homeless Shelter As Local Mayor Objects

2 weeks ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

TOMS RIVER – A surprising new proposal from the Ocean County Board of Commissioners could mark a major shift in how the county handles homelessness. Officials are considering turning the Code Blue warming center located at 1959 Route 9 in Toms River into a full-time, supervised shelter offering support services to help unhoused individuals get back on their feet. The idea wasn’t on the agenda at the board’s latest meeting.
Students Volunteer To Form Connections With Memory Care Residents

2 weeks ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

TOMS RIVER – When Toms River High School South’s Class of 2025 gathers to celebrate their graduation this June, one graduate will stand out not just for her title as valedictorian, but for her heart. Eighteen-year-old Grace Rhine has spent her high school years doing more than earning top grades and excelling in competitive swimming and cheerleading. She founded the school’s Adopt-a-Grandparent Club, an initiative that’s changing lives – one song, one memory, and one conversation at a time.
The Old Man On The Bay’s Miraculous Rescue

2 weeks ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

WARETOWN – For 70-year-old John Mazzi of Ocean Gate, fishing has never been just a job – it’s been his whole life. “I’ve been fishing since I was six,” he said. “The only time I ever stopped was when I served in the Air Force. Fishing is my livelihood, my recreation – my life.” Self-proclaimed as the “Old Man on the Bay,” Mazzi knows Barnegat Bay like the lines on his weathered hands. But on Wednesday, April 9, the water turned against him.
Officials Meet Owner Of Ocean County Warehouse Destroyed By Fire

2 weeks ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

LACEY – When Bob Nosti left town with his wife on April 22, he glanced south and noticed a pillar of smoke rising into the sky. He thought little of it — in Ocean County, springtime often brings controlled burns to clear underbrush. But by the time he returned home hours later, the smoke had thickened, the air was acrid, and the Garden State Parkway traffic had ground to a halt.
Senator Kim Secures FEMA Aid For Ocean County Wildfire

2 weeks ago | jerseyshoreonline.com | Stephanie Faughnan

LACEY – U.S. Senator Andy Kim stood in front of the smoldering remains of the Liberty Door & Awning building Thursday afternoon, his eyes fixed on the blackened debris and the charred trees that once lined the edge of the Lacey Industrial Park. The commercial warehouse was reduced to rubble by the fast-moving Jones Road Wildfire, which has already scorched more than 15,300 acres of forest.