WOND News

You can join the men and women of the Wildwood Police Department as they team up with the Lunch with Lynch Foundation to “Pinch the Grinch”! On December 14, 2019 the WPD will host the 6th Annual Pinch the Grinch 5K and 1 Mile Fun Walk. Registration will begin at 9:00 am with the 5K and Fun Walk starting at promptly at 10:00 am. You can pre-register online at Event Brite; pinch19.eventbrite.com. The goal is to raise funds and collect toys for the children in the area whose families may be having difficulty making ends meet.

A man has pleaded guilty to charges of child luring and endangerment after driving to New Jersey from Pennsylvania with the intent to have sex with a 14-year-old .
According to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Dean Leon, 51, of Enola, Pennsylvania, had developed an online relationship with the girl in 2017. Leon had arranged to meet the girl at the Somers Point Library, authorities said. Leon will be required to serve 85% of a 10-year prison sentence when he is sentenced. He remains held in the Atlantic County jail.

A familiar name in the legislative and judicial circles in New Jersey will serve in a new role in Atlantic City. Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. announced Tuesday he intends to appoint Steven Perskie to the role of Special Advisor to the Mayor, focusing on policy. The former Assemblyman and Superior Court judge said he would combine the current situation the city is in with his experiences he ascertained over the years to help guide him in the new position.

A man from Atlantic City is suing the Boy Scouts of America. The Press of Altantic City reports 48 year old Richard Halvorson, a 20 year member of the city police department, claims he was sexually abused by a scoutmaster between 1981 an 1983. At the time, Halvorson was a member of Troop 6 and claims Angelo Dellomo sexually abused him in a bathroom at Dellomo’s home. The suit claims Dellomo allegedly forced scouts to strip naked in a bathroom and perform maneuvers such as balance exercises while blindfolded to receive a physical fitness pin.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. has announced that retired Superior Court Judge Steven Perskie will join his administration as a special policy advisor. Perksie penned the state legislation bringing casino gaming to Atlantic City and the goal is to have him on board by the start of the new year, reports the Press of Atlantic City.

Police reporting that multiple people are dead after a shooting in Jersey City on Tuesday. Among those dead is a police officer who died in a heavy exchange of gunfire. According to reports, two more officers and a civilian were wounded. The three people wounded were in stable condition. Also a school nearby where the incident unfolded was put on lockdown but staff and students are safe. Details concerning what led to the gunfire haven’t been released as of mid afternoon Tuesday.

14 reported car burglaries in Absecon in recent months and police are advising residents to be alert. The Press of Atlantic City reports most of the break ins have involved unlocked cars and the items taken include coins, cash, checks, medications, identification, credit cards and cellphones. Also, a car was stolen from a driveway after it was left unlocked with the keys inside. Police also report some victims don’t realize credit and debit cards are gone until they’re used illegally.

Construction has begun on the second phase of a 20-acre expansion of the Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery located within the county park in Estell Manor. A one-acre expansion was completed in 2014. The current expansion will include the construction of a columbarium that will hold up to 900 cremation urns; the installation of two flag poles, drainage and irrigation systems; ADA-accessible parking; and the bifurcation of Purple Heart Drive to maintain a passive recreation area with a designated paved pedestrian/bicycle path to improve the safety of those walking, jogging and biking. The project will also include construction of a new restroom facility.
This work has been years in the making, according to County Executive Dennis Levinson. “We recognized the need to expand the cemetery several years ago, but as is the case with many of our road improvement projects, the process of obtaining required state approvals is lengthy and arduous.”

The Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery is the final resting place for Atlantic County veterans and their spouses. There are currently 5,454 individuals interred in the cemetery with an average of 230 burials each year.

With the flu season upon us, many workers are getting sick. A Ball State University researcher says that businesses should take precautions in advance of the annual flu season to keep sick workers home and reduce infection rates that send people to physicians in droves. Erik Nesson, an Associate Professor of Economics at Ball State, said labor market-based activities, such as using public transportation and carpools, working in offices, putting children in daycare, and having frequent contact with the public, might help spread the flu.

Atlantic City wants a cut of state taxes collected on New Jersey’s fast-growing sports betting industry — the same deal that communities hosting two racetracks get. But this venture remains a long shot. Atlantic City should get the same deal that East Rutherford and Holmdel get 1.25% of the taxes on sports betting generated by racetracks in those two communities according to Mayor Marty Small. But under state law, Atlantic City’s cut goes to a state agency, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.