By Popular Demand—the Garden State Film Festival will return to Asbury Park

The Garden State Film Festival announced today that it will return to its original home in Asbury Park for its “Sweet 16” anniversary after a four year hiatus in Atlantic City.

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DiMaso Named To Ashley Lauren Foundation Board

Freeholder Serena DiMaso has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Ashley Lauren Foundation, according to an announcement by the Spring Lake based charity that provides financial assistance, emotional support and many other programs to children and families throughout New Jersey who are suffering from the hardships of pediatric cancer.

Founder and CEO Monica Vermeulen, Ashely’s mom, states, “We are honored to have Serena DiMaso join our Board. Serena brings a tremendous amount of experience which will help to further our mission of helping children with cancer.”

DiMaso is not newcomer to charitable boards.  She serves on the Meridian Hospital’s Corporation Board of Trustees, is Chairwoman of the Bayshore Hospital Foundation.

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RIP Rick Rosenberg

Rick Rosenberg

Rick Rosenberg, Jr, 32, was found deceased in his Lakehurst home this morning, according to an Ocean County law enforcement source.

Rosenberg was a well respected Republican political operative who started working on campaigns while a college student at Rutgers in 2004. Most recently he re-joined the Chris Russell Consulting firm after managing the GOP gubernatorial primary campaign of Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli.

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Marlboro Woman Admits Scamming $2.8 million from Veterans Administration

Elizabeth Honig, photo via facebook

Elizabeth Honig, 52, of the Morganville section of Marlboro Township, pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing $2.8 million from a Veterans Administration program designed to help veterans find employment, according to a statement by Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick.

Honig enrolled 182 veterans to receive federal funding to attend Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VARP) courses at Computer Insight Learning Center, an Eatontown company that she owns. The vast majority of the veterans were either not eligible for the training or did not attend at all.  She collected $750 per month fees from the vets, and collected approximately $1.3 million from them of the $2,831,455 that the federal government distributed for tuition. She allowed the vets to keep the rest of the money paid to them by the VA.

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Watch Christie’s Announcement at 1PM

Governor Chris Christie will be making an announcement this afternoon at 1pm, according to a statement from his office.

Insiders expect that the governor will announce a school funding deal for the next fiscal year negotiated between himself, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.

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Goofy Gopal Swings and Misses

Goofy Gopal looks to the heavens for inspiration

Goofy Vin Gopal took a swing at Senator Jennifer Beck last week and whiffed.

According to The Asbury Park Press, Goofy Gopal issued a statement on Friday demanding that Beck return campaign donations she received over the years from Donna M. Conroy of Middletown.  Conroy pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud charges last month.

Beck had already donated the funds to Lunch Break, the Red Bank food pantry, when she became aware of Conroy’s guilty plea.

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The Arnone Report: Eat Healthy and Keep Safe

By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

photo by Michael Colarusso, Monmouth County Government

It has been a busy couple of weeks full of exciting initiatives and events here in Monmouth County! As such, I’d like to share just a few updates with everyone.

First of all, I’m pleased to announce the launch of my Healthy Monmouth initiative, which aims to promote healthy eating and living among our youth. It’s my goal to show students the importance of eating local and eating healthy through educational programs.

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Sweeney again says state government could shut down without a deal on school funding

TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney on Monday said he plans to meet with Gov. Chris Christie this week on the state budget — a negotiating session that could deliver a small dose of school reform or a messy government shutdown. If Christie won’t play ball on a school funding deal Democratic leaders reached last week,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie nominates Assemblyman Dave Rible as Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control

Dave Rible

Assemblyman Dave Rible confirmed a report by InsiderNJ that Governor Christie has nominated him to be the Director of Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control.  The nomination appeared on the State Senate’s website on Thursday.

“I’m humbled with the Governor’s trust and confidence and I’m excited to move the ABC in a direction that helps both current and future licenses,” Rible, of Wall Township, said in a phone interview with MMM.

Rible said he would not resign his seat in the Assembly, where he holds the #2 Republican leadership position, until his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.  Rible said he was uncertain about the timing of his confirmation.  It could happen as soon as this month, he said, or it could happen after the election in November.  He said he would stand for reelection to the Assembly if he is not confirmed before the election.

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NJ Democrat Devine Doubles Down On Call To Violence Against Republicans

Self-declared “master Democratic Party campaign strategist” James Devine of Rahway doubled down on his assertion that Democrats are “at war” with Republicans.

Devine told The Asbury Park Press that James Hodgkinson, the looney tune who gunned down Congressman Steve Scalise and three others yesterday before being shot dead by U.S. Capitol Police, was exercising his Second Amendment Rights to defend himself against duly elected tyrannical Republicans practicing baseball. Read the rest of this entry »

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