A Beloved Priest Accused, A Parish in Disbelief

Brick - To parishioners at Church of the Visitation in Brick, it came as the shock of a lifetime.

The priest who had encouraged them through times of sadness and fear, who brought food to the local needy and who comforted those who found themselves in periods of grief – had been accused of a crime that is as depressing and disappointing as it is serious and unthinkable.

Fr. Marukudiyil C. Velan, 64, known to parishioners at the Mantoloking Road church as "Father Chris," was arrested Saturday and charged with two sex crimes, one against a minor.

Read more on Brick Patch. 

Hole Collapses On Boy Digging in Sand in Long Branch, Responding Fire Truck Strikes Pedestrians

Long Branch - In 20 minutes, a boy who was digging a tunnel in the sand on a Long Branch beach had it collapse on top of him, and a responding fire truck hit a pedestrian carrying his young daughter.

The 12-year-old Oakhurst boy, whose name has not been released by police, died on Wednesday after spending the night in an intensive care unit at Monmouth Medical Center. The pedestrian and his daughter are recovering in Jersey Shore Medical Center, and the firefighter who hit them was just trying to get through his final day in the department before he retired.

Read more on Long Branch Patch.

Middletown Amateur Radio Club Marks 50 Years Since Telstar Launch

Middletown - The local ham radio enthusiasts met on Crawford Hill in Holmdel on July 10, and got a special visit from Holmdel's 1979 Nobel Prize for Physics winner, Robert Wilson. Learn about the club and hear a real radio call made to an operator in Onatario. 

Read more on Middletown Patch. 

Two Holmdel Residents Are Winners of $21.5 M Jackpot

Holmdel - Robert and Amelia Talerico of Holmdel came forward Wednesday to claim the $21.5 million prize from the June 25 Pick-6 game draw, NJ Lottery officials announced today. The winning ticket was sold at the Holmdel 7-Eleven at Kohl's Plaza on Route 35 North. 

At the press conference, Robert Talerico, an electrical contractor, told how it was his habit to purchase around 7 lottery tickets a week. But for that particular drawing, he felt compelled to buy two extra Quick-Picks at the Holmdel 7-Eleven.

Read more on Holmdel Patch.

Lt. Governor's Tour Highlights Fast Growing Business

Rumson - In an effort to learn the strategies employed by those New Jersey companies that have been able to buck recent trends by succeeding in a tumultuous state and national economy, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno has been making the rounds as part of her fastest growing businesses tour.

Her most recent stop: Monmouth County and DIVERSANT, a national IT staffing and solutions firm and Minority Business Enterprise headquartered in the Greater Red Bank area.

Read more on Red Bank Patch.