Patch asked Board of Education candidates to share their views on the issues. Martianne Degliuomini of Howell presents her ideas.

|Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2023 at 6:29 pm ET

HOWELL, NJ — Martianne Degliuomini is one of four candidates seeking three full-term seats on the Howell Board of Education in the Nov. 7 election.

This would be her first try at election to the school board, and she is facing three incumbents, current board President Albert Miller and members Denise M. Lowe and Ira Thor.

In these profiles, candidates provide voters with background about themselves and their positions on the issues, as they see them.

Degliuomini of Danella Way says she supports more communication with parents from the school district.

Read more from Martianne Degliuomini:

Find out what's happening in Howellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Background:

Candidates were asked to provide their professional or volunteer information, school board experience, campaign links, and personal background.

I have lived in Howell for over 14 years, where my husband and I are raising our two beautiful children. I am a parent that cares about all Howell students and I feel that the time has come to put them first.

I am confident in my ability to tackle the tough issues and work together with other board members, educators and families to create a brighter future for our children.

I have been to numerous Board of Education meetings and have been a part of the Community Interaction Committee for almost two years. I’ve been listening to concerns from the community for three years, and now is the time to help make a difference for the students and families.

Top issues:

Candidates were asked about the important issues in their district, and how the school board can address them.

As at any school district, there are always issues, however, I moved to Howell 14 years ago so that I could provide a wonderful education and school community for my children. That still stands true today.

Are there some things that could be improved? Absolutely. There is always room for improvement.

A lot of the issues are due to the lack of communication with the parents. Howell school board needs more parents with children in the school system to represent them. As a mom in Howell, that will my main goal. I want to be the voice of the parents of Howell, whether you agree or disagree with me, I want to be able to express the concerns of all the parents.

If the administration could hear more from the parents, I think, that will help tackle the issues of Howell, which are transportation, choice of curriculum, staffing concerns, reconfiguration concerns, etc.

Policy 5756:

Candidates were asked if they wanted to comment on state Policy 5756, which provides guidance regarding transgender students, including communication with parents. Some districts in the state are repealing or amending the policy.

I feel that this policy shouldn’t even be up for debate. No school should be allowed to take away parental rights. I am for all children. And the way to do that is by keeping parents informed on what’s happening in our schools with their children. If we eliminate the parents, the school system will fail. I am happy that at this past school board meeting on Sept. 20, the board voted against Policy 5756, and we are awaiting the second vote at October's meeting.

Candidates for Howell Board of Education: (Full term, vote for three)

There are no open spots for the Freehold Regional Board of Education from Howell this election year.

Note: Candidates who have not received their request for profile information from Patch should check their spam folders or can contact Pat McDaniel at patricia.mcdaniel@patch.com for the email with candidate questions.

This Saturday, you can see 11 contestants compete for two Miss Central New Jersey spots, leading up to next year's Miss New Jersey.

|Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2023 at 6:01 pm ET

HOWELL, NJ — You can be part of the excitement leading up to next year's Miss New Jersey/Miss America competitions at a Central Jersey preliminary event this Saturday at Howell High School.

The fifth annual Miss Central Jersey/Miss Central Jersey Coastline event, a preliminary to 2024 Miss New Jersey and Miss America competitions, will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Howell High School, said Darlene Corrubia.

Corrubia is a co-director of the event. Pete Bruno, former Howell High School athletic director, is the director of the event. she said. The outgoing Miss Central Jersey, Marielle Marlys of Wall, is the master of ceremonies, said Corrubia.

You can buy tickets at the door. The price is $20 per person and will be used toward the scholarship funds for the contestants, she said. The school is at 405 Squankum Yellowbrook Road, Farmingdale, NJ 07727.

And Corrubia said you can look forward to evening of excellent entertainment from the 11 contestants: There will be lyrical dance, a classical Indian dance, vocalists, tap dancers and a new category of talent called Her Story, in which a contestant presents a story about a meaningful experience in her life. You can learn more at the organization's website.

Find out what's happening in Howellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Howell High School Rebel Remix will also perform, Corrubia said.

Corrubia said there is no contestant this year from Monmouth County, but there are two contestants from Ocean County, one from Lakewood, the other from Barnegat.

There is no more "swimsuit and heels" in the Miss America program, Corrubia noted.

Rather, winners are determined based on 30 percent for a intensive personal interview; 20 percent for talent; 20 percent for "Red Carpet," or evening gown; 10 percent for community service and 20 percent for health and fitness, in which contestants are in athletic wear and explain their health routines.

You can learn more about the Miss New Jersey competition at the organization's website. Twenty-two women will compete at the state level next year.

The competitions are all nonprofit organizations that raise scholarship funds for contestants that are applied under strict guidelines to the contestants' institutions of higher learning. The age range for contestants in 18 to 28, allowing graduate students to participate in the scholarship program too, said Corrubia.

The 102-year-old Miss America competition is the largest single source of scholarships for women, she said. She said to stay tuned for the 2023 Miss New Jersey and Miss America events, the dates of which will soon be announced.

The Howell Planning Board is scheduled to continue consideration of the AAVRHW Property, LLC – Victory Road mega warehouse this Thursday.

HOWELL, NJ — A proposal for a 203,802-square-foot warehouse/with office on Victory Road is once again on the Planning Board agenda for this Thursday, continued from prior dates.

And Howell NJ First, an organization that has opposed "mega-warehouse " applications here and elsewhere in town, is encouraging residents of the area to turn out for the hearing.

The AAVRHW Property - or Victory Road - application calls for 25 loading dock spaces, two drive ramps, 68 trailer parking spaces, as well as 73 passenger vehicle parking spaces, according to the application.

The matter was first scheduled before the board in November 2022 and has had many continuations, although there also has been past testimony and many exhibits and site plan drawings submitted for various aspects of the project.

You can refer to the Planning Board agenda to links to the exhibits, including a rendering of the proposed building.

Find out what's happening in Howellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The meeting is Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. at the Township Hall on Route 9.

The application came up at a Township Council meeting last week when several residents expressed opposition to the plan, particularly because of the truck traffic the warehouse will create.

The people who spoke said not only is safety an issue, but so is quality of life.

"This is a small farm road," one resident said.

While the residents urged the Township Council to change the zoning in the area to prevent warehouse development, town planning professionals noted this application was already underway and would not be affected by any future zoning changes.

However, Director of Community Development and Land Use Office Matt Howard said the township and the board are continually reviewing the Master Plan to consider revisions throughout the township.

The residents in the area have retained a lawyer to fight the application, attorney Stuart J. Lieberman of Princeton.

The firm represents 10 Howell residents as objectors, and it also retained two expert witnesses who testified on environmental engineering issues and traffic issues.

Marc Parisi, of Howell NJ First, said the environmental engineer testified that the proposed development is on a property with a high water table, and as a result will need to bring in 80,000 cubic yards of fill to raise the ground up - that's 6,000 dump truck loads to bring in the fill, the expert said.

Parisi said that if the site is approved, there are concerns about storm water drainage.

One exhibit cited by the developer in the application indicated brooks in the area would accommodate drainage.

Parisi said the traffic engineer testified about an S curve on Victory Road, which would be reduced to 25 mph in that area. The shoulders of the road would be widened. He said trucks would be directed to Route 547. But he said there isn't an easy T intersection there and turning would require a wide swing.

Parisi said the county lists Route 547 in that eastern part of the township as a scenic road. But he said the character of the road would change with the warehouse traffic.

"It's important the community is present and engaged in what is happening. The time to get involved is now," Parisi said, urging attendance at the meeting Thursday.

He said residents in the areas of Oak Glen and Maxim Southard roads will all be affected.

A large portion of the existing woods would be removed for the warehouse/office building. Access will be provided via two new full movement driveways along Victory Road and a 30-foot-wide circulation aisle around the eastern, southern and western sides of the building, according to the application as presented on the agenda.

Other improvements listed by the developer include concrete sidewalks, curbing, ADA curb ramps, storm water management as well as new landscaping and lighting throughout.

The site is at Block 41, Lot 17, Victory Road.

Driver for a private contractor was making a run from Howell High School when he stopped to get a drop-off roster, leaving students alone.

HOWELL, NJ — A driver for Jay's Bus Service, contracted for the Freehold Regional High School District, won't be driving for the district anymore after he stopped the bus at his home to pick up a drop-off roster, the district said.

The district has filed a Report of Students Left Unattended with the state, and this driver has been barred from driving Freehold Regional students, said district spokesperson Rebecca Policastro on Wednesday.

"He was not one of our drivers," she said, "so I cannot speak to his current employment status. We barred him from covering runs in the district."

The name of the driver was not released by the district.

She explained the series of events:

Find out what's happening in Howellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On Monday afternoon, the driver, employed by Jay’s Bus Service based in Lakewood, picked up students at Howell High School.

The driver apparently realized he did not have the roster that tells him where the bus stops are located and proceeded to return to his home to retrieve it.

The bus was parked outside the driver’s home for approximately three minutes and no students left the bus during that time, she said.

The driver then proceeded to return to the original route and dropped students off at their designated bus stops.

District officials were notified of the situation as students were being dropped off at their bus stops and the run was being completed.

The district immediately contacted Jay’s and the driver was halted, but the students from Howell High School were all dropped off by this time, said Policastro.

A report on News 12 New Jersey quoted a Howell family whose daughter said students were standing up in their seats, taking videos and were waiting while the engine was running and the door open. Her father said it was "bad judgment" on the driver's part, and that someone could have driven away with the bus with the students on it.

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It's Open Farm Day Sunday at Cedar Lane Farm In Howell, where owner Diann Mellot can introduce you to some special alpacas.

|Updated Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 7:29 pm ET

HOWELL, NJ — If you've ever been curious about alpacas, you have a chance to be introduced to some stars of an alpaca herd right here in Howell.

On Sunday, Oct. 1, Diann Mellott of Cedar Lane Farm will open the farm for a small fee (free for children under five) for visitors to get a greater understanding of the value and history of the alpaca.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $6. The farm is at 67 Victory Road, Howell.

The tour includes a presentation about alpacas and a question and answer period - all with some help from alpacas Charlotte and Sophie.

Mellott said alpacas are camelid members of the biological family Camelidae. She said they originated in Canada and proliferated in South America in the Western Hemisphere.

Find out what's happening in Howellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"They are a prehistoric animal and migrated in the Ice Age to South America," Mellott said.

Mellott began raising alpacas in 2010. Before that she had horses.

The alpacas are much lighter - 145 to 200 pounds, and they are pretty calm and quiet, she said.

"They have paws like a dog, with two toenails. They're not noisy - but they do hum," Mellott said.

They also have a pretty relaxed personality.

"They sort of mosey around - unless the food bucket is out. They run to that," she said.

Plus they're not happy in the rain - that makes then head for the barn too.

Mellott's farm also has a shop, the Alpaca Shop, and she said alpaca fleece is most prized as fiber that is not only soft like cashmere, but stronger and warmer.

She sells yarn from her own alpaca herd and she also stocks such items as socks and scarves and hats from other manufacturers. The alpaca content in these wares in these products is much higher than in most, she said. The socks, too, are made in the U.S.

For more information about the farm and other open farm dates and events, go to the farm's webpage at www.CedarLaneAlpacas.com or call 732-938-4185.