Sexual and Drug Abuse child victims in Monmouth County. Those stories and more in today's Monmouth and Ocean County News from Townsquare Media.

If you are not monitoring your bank and credit card accounts on a daily basis, you should be. Experts are issuing that advice after Home Depot confirmed data from 56-million cards were stolen in the latest big data breach. Security experts say this is the new normal and will continue to happen as hackers get better at it.

Are you getting calls from debt collectors? You are certainly not alone. A new study finds a third of New Jerseyans have a debt in collections. That's a little better than the national average, but we are ahead of almost everyone else with the amount of debt we carry -- almost $67,000 on average.

Uncapped syringes were found in a toddler's bedroom after police arrested her mother in their Oakhurst home Wednesday for allegedly having heroin and prescription drugs. 22-year old Victoria Albano also is charged with endangering the welfare of her child.

A 5-year old was left in a car while the child's mother allegedly partied in a Seaside Heights bar. 36-year old Cynthia Martin of Brick was charged with DWI and the child was removed from her care.

A 14-year old boy is accused of forcing an 8-year old girl to perform sexual acts numerous times, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's office. The teen is charged with sexual assault and endangerment.

Two South Toms River residents are charged with neglect after a 2-year old child they were to be caring for swallowed prescription pills and became ill. Douglas Moses and Billie Applegate also are accused of failing to get the toddler immediate medical care.

Police have identified the woman who died in a car crash on Rt. 539 Thursday morning in Lacey Township. Investigators say 54-year old Suzanne Kessler of Manchester was killed when her car was struck head-on by the vehicle driven by 27-year old Kenneth Busardo. He sustained minor injuries but refused treatment.

A New Brunswick couple is charged with running a prostitution ring staffed with illegals in at least eight brothels around our state. They had been the target of an investigation for at least two years, running their operations out of homes and businesses in towns including Asbury Park and Lakewood.

Distribution of a new batch of Potassium Iodide tablets begin next week to those who live and work within a ten mile radius of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant. The Ocean County Health Department says this new batch replaces the last round they distributed five years ago that are expiring this year. The pills are just another tool for your emergency preparedness kits should a disaster occur. K-I pills will be handed out at flu clinics, four K-I clinics in October and at the Toms River Health Department offices.

A guilty verdict for former Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas on all federal charges related to a questionable land purchase. Lucas was convicted of falsifying documents and setting up a phony company to obtain a loan and investment money to buy a local farm that netted him more than a million dollars in Farmland Preservation funding.

Superstorm Sandy fraud lands a North Jersey man in big trouble with the law. 60-year old Vincent Agnihotri claimed that his Ortley Beach vacation home was his primary residence and improperly received a payout of over $117,000. Three others in our state face similar charges in separate incidents.

A Monmouth County doctor is conducting clinical study trials of a potentially more effective treatment system for people suffering from inner ear disorders, such as Vertigo. Several studies must be completed before the treatment system is considered for FDA approval. Dr. Mary Miskavich of Coastal Ear Nose and throat says some inner ear disorders are disabling because they cause a spinning sensation, nausea, ringing of ears and hearing loss. She says a steroid injected into the ear would gel at body temperature, staying longer in the middle ear and being better absorbed so patients don't taste it.

Seaside Heights will be officially reopening its rebuilt Sandy-ravaged entrance way today. The Borough Public Information Officer says the bulk of the funding came from Seaside, Oregon, which raised over $10,000 for its namesake on the East Coast following Sandy.

A South Brunswick farm has created a 5 acre corn maze tribute to Derek Jeter. It opens at Vonthun Farms on Ridge Road tomorrow and stays open until Halloween.

 

 

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