Study: Forked River, Lanoka Harbor Less Charitable Than NJ Neighbors

Despite giving $8.2 million in 2008, both sections of Lacey fell short of state and national averages

Forked River and Lanoka Harbor residents gave a total of $8.2 million to charity in 2008 but both sections of Lacey Township gave less on average as a proportion of discretionary income when compared to New Jersey and the entire United States, a recent analysis shows. Forked River residents gave an average of 2.6 percent of their discretionary income ($52,054) to charity in 2008, the most recent year studied by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, a service that covers the nonprofit industry. Lanoka Harbor residents were only slightly less generous, giving 2.7 percent of their discretionary income ($59,001) to charity in 2008. Those averages align with the county (2.7 percent) but fall short when compared with the state (3.7 percent) and …

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Lanoka Harbor Man Turns Love of Celtic Music Into Lifelong Career

The Barley Boys playing at several local venues through October

Growing up in Toms River, Michael Babick first heard Celtic music at his great-grandmother's house. After becoming reacquainted with the music when he was older, he fell in love with it. "I'm half Irish on my mother's side and half Yugoslavian on my dad's side," said Babick. "I've been a full-time musician for 30 years. I feel nothing but good things because I've been able to take care of myself with my love." Babick formed the group, The Barley Boys, about 20 years ago with two guys from Newfoundland, he said. They started playing, made a CD and the band took off. Since then, he said there have been many different members of the group, but he feels the current Barley Boys is the best yet. Babick, a Lanoka Harbor resident who has opened …

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Manahawkin Man Charged With Lanoka Harbor Assault

Suspect arrested amid heavy Fourth of July traffic

Fourth of July traffic helped Lacey police arrest a Manahawkin man suspected of an assault. Police arrested Drew Brocklebank, 27, of Littleworth Road Tuesday and charged him with DUI, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, obstructing the administration of law, criminal mischief and other traffic offenses. A 25-year-old Waretown man had called police to inform them he was robbed by Brocklebank while at the Cedar Creek Trestle in Lanoka Harbor, Lacey police said. The victim followed Brocklebank as he drove off and provided authorities a description of his vehicle. An officer assigned to a Fourth of July traffic post attempted to stop Brocklebank in front of Lacey High School, but he continued driving, police …

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Lanoka Harbor Man Charged with Child Pornography

FBI: Seized laptop contained explicit images of minors, including infants

A Lanoka Harbor man faces up to 20 years in prison after federal prosecutors said he distributed child pornography, including images of infants as young as four months old. Arthur Frazer Jr., 33, was arrested Wednesday after FBI agents and investigators with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office executed a search warrant at his Sycamore Drive home, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said in a news release. Frazer is being held until a detention hearing scheduled for Monday after making his initial appearance later that day before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman in Trenton. Frazer is accused of sending an email on Dec. 16, 2010, that contained six images of sexual assault on infants and toddlers, Fishman said. When interviewed by the FBI …

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VIDEO: Closing Ceremonies at Drum and Dance Fest

Lara Gonzales and Yael Shacham lead the final West African dance and drumming lesson at Murray Grove on Sunday

Participants learned traditional West African dance and drumming this weekend at the Murray Grove Retreat and Renewal Center in Lanoka Harbor.  The women of Marafanyi, a drum, dance, and poetic motion company, taught the Doundoun dance, a Guinean dancing routine with drums, traditionally performed "ballet-style." Marafanyi ended the fourth annual three-day Drum and Dance festival at Murray Grove. Maire Fashjian and Amy Schindler of ViRAGO, a Freehold-based musical duo, led the closing ceremony of the event.  Murray Grove's Drum and Dance Fest featured a number of workshops with teachings by Marafanyi, ViRAGO, Latin Drumming by Tom Brown, West African Drumming by Skip Leib, and belly dancing by Mihrimah.

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On the March: Lanoka Harbor Firefighters Rack Up Awards at Parade

Fire company awarded for appearance at Pompton Lakes Fire Department 110th anniversary celebration.

The Lanoka Harbor firefighters' dedication to their equipment impressed their colleagues at a recent parade, where they were showered with awards. The fire company took the trip north to Passaic County June 11 to take part in the Pompton Lakes Volunteer Fire Department's 110th anniversary parade, where they marched in mutual celebration. "We weren't expecting anything like [what] we got," said Mark Amrozewicz, a volunteer firefighter and assistant engineer at Lanoka.  The Lanoka company, established in 1941, has been going to the Pompton Lakes parade every year, according to Amrozewicz, but had never brought any of their fire vehicles along with them. "This year I had a crazy idea to take our aerial — our ladder truck — up [to Pompton …

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VIDEO: Fire Companies Battle Blaze on Laurel Boulevard

Gusty winds fanned an attic fire in a two-story private home.

Forked River and Lanoka Harbor fire companies battled an attic fire at 1136 Laurel Blvd. in Lacey on Friday night. The first arriving fire units found fire blowing out of the attic of the two-story private dwelling.  It didn't take long for firefighters to get the fire under control, knocking down the bulk of the fire by 7:20 p.m. after about 20 minutes.  Lanoka Harbnor's aerial piece went into service and assisted firefighters who were inside the structure, making headway toward the fire. After knocking down the bulk of the fire, crews went into a hitting-the-hot-spots mode to make sure there were no hidden pockets of fire. There were no injuries, an eyewitness told Patch. Because of the length of time the two fire companies were going to…

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Week in Review

Stories You May Have Missed

From March 19 to March 26

A lot happened this past weeks. To stay up to date on Lacey news, click the links below.  

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KB's Kitchen

Recipe-of-the-Week

"Must-Go" Fried Rice

"Must-Go" Fried Rice Once a week growing up we would have a night proudly entitled “Must-go’s.” After having delicious meals every day it was time to empty the refrigerator of all those remaining leftovers. Everything must go on these nights - but that does not mean it can't be filled with new creative dishes. This week’s recipe takes the traditional side dish (usually ordered out) and makes it an at home entree. It will surprise you how easy and delicious this Fried Rice will be. Don’t be surprised though, if it becomes a Go-To whenever you have rice in your refrigerator. Who knows, maybe you will even make extra rice one night so you ensure there is enough for a homemade fried rice in your future. Remember: Cook once and eat two or three…

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County roads 'open and drivable' says supervisor

Still, Childers warns residents to stay off roads.

Working through the night against mountains of falling snow and howling winds, crews of county workers and contractors had all 620 miles of Ocean County roads "open and drivable,'' by 8:30 a.m. Monday, according to Road Supervisor Stephen F. Childers. The challenge was getting to those plowed county and state highways because many municipal streets had not been plowed. Childers said the number of "abandoned trucks and cars on the roads'' made the plowing more difficult. With more than two feet of snow on the ground, and winds piling it into drifts five feet high, even plows got stuck during the night, he explained. Cleanup efforts were continuing, he said, as the wind continued to move the snow around and crews plowed along the shoulders …

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