My email is karen.wall@patch.com and I welcome your questions, concerns and news tips. I do my best to answer all reader emails. I cover Brick, Toms River, Manchester, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, and Lakewood and do my best to keep readers informed on what's happening in their towns. I have been with Patch full-time since July 2014 but have more than 35 years in journalism, including 20 years at the Asbury Park Press. I love sports and fishing (and yes, I bait my own hook); I was the editor of Hook, Line & Sinker for four years. I have lived at the Jersey Shore since August 1979, with the exception of my college years and an 18-month stint in Northern California. I'm a Brick Township High School graduate and have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
The Point Pleasant man used his access to women's contact info through the Victims of Crime Compensation Office to ask them to have sex.
The $293.5 million tentative budget includes the minimum funding needed to operate the district, Superintendent Michael Citta said.
Prosecutors say Moshe Ehrlich, 35, left the infant in a vehicle for "an extended period of time." The baby was later pronounced dead.
The district is waiting for further guidance from the state Department of Education on tax levies and other issues related to finances.
Alejandro Huerta-Arias, 26, was found guilty in the March 2022 crash that killed Mark Mandel, 32, the prosecutor's office said.
Manchester police said the odor that prompted the evacuation has been safely cleared.
The circumstances of the baby's death and how he came to be in distress remain under investigation, the prosecutor's office said.
Gustavo Juarez-Perez, 38, agreed to remain in jail in the killing of his wife, Cheyanne Juarez, the prosecutor's office said.
Howell police, in response to a Township Council resolution, have been conducting targeted enforcement to quell speeding and other issues.
Learn how to use your smart devices to order groceries and supplies and more at the Mayor's Wellness Campaign event.
The community cleanup effort is returning for 2025. See how you can volunteer.
The repairs are needed to address drainage after a pipe collapsed, officials said.
Kiley Armstrong and Evan Fiore will be buried together; Kiley's twin sister, Krista, and her boyfriend, Ryan Chapman, are recovering.
The fire in the two-story home has been ruled accidental, Toms River fire inspectors said.
The fire at Leisure Park, which offers independent living and assisted living along with memory care, is under investigation.
The New York man was thrown from the bike and died despite attempts to save his life.
The following homes are anticipated to be holding garage sales this weekend, for all you bargain hunters.
Friends are holding a service Friday for Cheyanne Juarez, who told a friend she was ending her marriage days before her death, police said.
NJ remains under a drought warning after a drier-than-normal winter. Authorities say the public must take extra care to prevent wildfires.
The Brick Township Democratic Club announced its candidates for mayor and council for the 2025 election.
