Pine Barrens all things local

08/21/2026

North Hanover Schools Superintendent Named in OCVTS Whistleblower Lawsuit Alleging Retaliation: North Hanover Superintendent Michael Maschi, formerly an assistant superintendent at OCVTS, is among the defendants in a pending whistleblower lawsuit alleging retaliation following reports of student safety concerns during his tenure at the vocational school district.

https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/north-hanover-schools-superintendent-named-in-ocvts-whistleblower-lawsuit-alleging-retaliation/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

08/20/2026

OCVTS has appointed Gary McDonald, the son-in-law of former Superintendent Karen Homiek, to lead the district as it faces multiple civil lawsuits alleging institutional failures surrounding student sexual abuse at the Performing Arts Academy. The lawsuits remain pending while two former teachers hav...

08/17/2026

A third lawsuit has expanded the legal crisis surrounding the Ocean County Vocational Technical School Performing Arts Academy, alleging administrators ignored or concealed years of sexual misconduct while a former instructor claims he was retaliated against for reporting student safety concerns.

08/14/2026

FBI Allegedly Investigating OCVTS S*xual Abuse Scandal as Probe Expands Into Alleged Institutional Cover-Up: Federal investigators are reportedly interviewing Ocean County officials and former OCVTS employees as part of an expanding investigation into allegations that administrators covered up decades of student sexual abuse at the district's Performing Arts Academy.

https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/fbi-investigating-ocvts-sexual-abuse-scandal-as-probe-expands-into-alleged-institutional-cover-up/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

08/14/2026

08/14/2026

As a draft noise ordinance for Southampton Township sits in limbo, a third resident has publicly come forward now to the Township Committee, asking the governing body to reconsider adopting the measure, describing on July 21, “I have had an issue for six years as far as the loud noise.”

The situation, she claimed, has only “escalated” in her Ridge Road neighborhood to include “yelling, vulgarities, screaming and even a death threat to me.”

Read the full story at the link in our bio: https://www.pinebarrenstribune.com/articles/featured-stories/another-resident-pleads-for-revised-noise-law-in-southampton-committee-urges-njdot-to-establish-no-passing-zone-on-rt-70/

08/13/2026

According to recent reporting, after two former students came forward with lawsuits, OCVTS claims this is the first they’ve heard of these allegations, yet two teachers were previously criminally charged and convicted after pleading guilty in 2022 & 2024. The alleged cover-up was then highlighted in news reports last August with multiple OCVTS staff members speaking to media outlets. 🤔

Former OCVTS administrators, including current North Hanover Superintendent Michael Maschi, are named in the related whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former teacher and retired officer.

For the second time in one week, a former Performing Arts Academy student alleged OCVTS officials covered up sexual abuse by teachers.

07/31/2026

This is deplorable, anyone in the area keep an eye out for box turtles.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BedFUGcLE/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Cranford police are asking for the public’s help after more than 150 box turtles were illegally dumped along the edge of a river. 🐢

Residents should keep an eye out for the five- to seven-inch turtles. If you find any, carefully collect it and place it in a secure, clean cardboard box or container lined with a towel or paper towels.