Brick Man Accused Of Murder-For-Hire + Orthodox School Lawsuit

BRICK, NJ — A Brick Township man accused in the 2019 killing of his father now has been indicted on murder-for-hire charges.

Mark J. Austin, 30, was indicted last week on the new charges in the case from 2019, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said. His father, Mark Richard Austin, 55, was found savagely beaten to death in a Cedar Bridge Manor home.

The new indictment comes after Austin's co-defendant, Jeray Melton, pleaded guilty in the case, authorities said. Read more here: Murder-For-Hire Charge Added For Brick Man In Father's Killing

That was just one of the headlines last week.

Looking ahead, Brick Township's municipal offices are closed Monday due to the Columbus Day holiday. Garbage collection and recycling are usually delayed as a result of holiday closures.

On Tuesday, the Brick Township Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. On the agenda is a proposed ordinance that would spell out requirements for ensuring construction addresses flood damage prevention.

That ordinance is scheduled to be discussed further at the township Planning Board meeting set for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Both meetings are set for town hall.

Other headlines you may have missed last week:

Beloved Brick Restaurant Shuts Down After 41 Years: The Cozy Kitchen on Herbertsville Road made customers young and old feel part of something special, and the memories rushed back for many after it closed its doors for good. MORE

Brick Orthodox School To Stay Shut While Safety Issues Addressed: An unapproved school for Orthodox Jewish boys agreed to remain shut while safety issues are addressed; the zoning issue remains unresolved. An update in the case is anticipated Thursday. MORE

Brick Hearing On Over-Capacity Home Rescheduled: A hearing that was set regarding a home that has been cited as having more residents than allowed by its capacity was postponed when the home's owner did not show up for the hearing, officials said. MORE

Motorcyclist Was Cut Off By Driver In Brick Blvd Crash: Police: A man was hospitalized after he was injured while trying to avoid a collision with a vehicle that cut him off in a turn, police said. MORE

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