Holiday season is also Holiday Express season

Holiday Express, in a concert setting. This holiday season, Holiday Express will bring high-spirited holiday music to 81 homeless shelters, psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers and other places where live music is seldom heard. And it won’t charge the facilities a penny. About 150 musicians donate their services to make those 81 shows happen – about 50… Read the rest of this entry »

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Pryor contests Neptune City election

Michaela O’Brien, 18 of Neptune City. “Every vote counts…I prove it.”

Election result rests with first time voter

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor has lodged a contest of the November 3 general election in Monmouth County Superior Court.

Pryor, a Republican, was leading his race for reelection by one vote following the counting of provisional ballots on November 9.  In the November 24 recount, Democrat Michael Skudera picked up three votes while Pryor picked up one.  Skudera now leads Pryor by one vote, 602-601.

At issue in the contest, which was filed by Jason N. Sena, Esq of the Manalapan law firm Cutolo Mandel, LLC, is one of the two provisional votes that was disqualified by the Board of Election on November 9.

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Masked gunman robbed $3K from poker game at Union Beach firehouse, police say

UNION BEACH — A gunman clad in dark-colored clothing and a ski mask robbed a poker game being held at the Union Beach firehouse on Saturday night, police said. Police Chief Charles Ervin said at around 8:45 p.m. a man entered the side door of the firehouse on Union Avenue, displayed a gun and fled with… Read the rest of this entry »

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Scholastic Sports: Saturday was a big day for Monmouth student-athletes

There were 18 New Jersey high school football title games this weekend.  6 Monmouth County teams played in five of those games, bringing home 4 championships.

Middletown South ended a 9 year championship drought and denied Phillipsburg a three-peat with a 35-7 victory in the NJSIAA/Sports Care Institute North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 final at MetLife Stadium.

Lead by twin brothers Cole and Dylan Rogers, the Eagles finished the season 12-0 and won their 10th sectional title.  Running back Cole ran for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Linebacker Dylan had 4.5 sacks.

The Shore Regional (West Long Branch) Blue Devils dominated Palmyra at Kean University in Union with over 500 rushing yards in their fourth straight Central Jersey Group 1 championship game appearance.

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Gopal Pushes Hornik for Governor, Bashes Monmouth Republicans

Vin Gopal and Jon Hornik, photo via facebook

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal is publicly calling for Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik to run for governor in 2017.

In a Letter to the Editor published on APP.com,  Gopal sings Hornik’s praises as a “socially conscious and fiscally ressponsible” Democrat who was elected in three time in a town that voted for Chris Christie for Governor and Steve Lonegan for U.S. Senate over Cory Booker in 2013. Gopal said that should Hornik run for governor, he would have Vin’s unwavering support.

I wonder how Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Senate President Steve Sweeney and former Ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy, all presumed Democratic candidates for governor who have contributed generously to Gopal’s Monmouth County Democratic campaigns, feel about this.

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Woman accused of hiding Xanax in her vajayjay

KEANSBURG — A Piscataway woman who didn’t want Keansburg police to find prescription drugs on her hid them where she thought cops wouldn’t find them. Keansburg police said that when Erica Chapman, 34, was taken into custody for heroin and marijuana possession, she hid some Xanax pills in, according to police reports. Chapman was arrested on… Read the rest of this entry »

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John Bennett: Not the retiring type

By Art Gallagher

John Bennett

Oceanport Administrator John Bennett is applying to keep the job that he announced his retirement from in October.

Bennett’s retirement is effective December 31.  When I met him at Oceanport’s temporary Borough Hall today, there was no signs of him slowing down.  He was working with a borough employee on the town’s debt amortization schedule when I arrived. Over lunch he was excited about the future of Oceanport and proud of what he’s accomplished in his two years as administrator.  He was also well aware the that town needs to heal the divisions…that he is in the center of….that resulted in Mayor Michael Mahon going from being unopposed for reelection last month to being defeated by write-in candidate Jay Coffey.  “I promised I would give 110% until my last day,” for former Senate President and Acting Governor said.

Bennett is hopeful that his last day will come after December 31.   “I love being an administrator,” he said, “I wish I had done this earlier in my career. I submitted my application for the job.”

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Eatontown man just released from prison charged with burglary in retirement community

Robert Meloni

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP — An Eatontown man released from prison last week found himself behind bars yet again after he was charged Wednesday in connection with at least one burglary in a retirement community. Robert Meloni, 51, was arrested and charged with burglary, criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools after police identified him as a person… Read the rest of this entry »

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Democrats spent $1.5 million to defeat Angelini and Casagrande

Assembly Members-elect Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey

Democratic Assembly Members-elect Joann Downey and Eric Houghtailing, and Independent Expenditure Committees supporting them spent $1,503,233 to defeat Republican incumbents Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande in the 11th legislative district election, according to an analysis of 2015 campaign spending published on PolitickerNJ.

Angelini and Casagrande spent $234,118 on their reelection effort.

For all of that spending, 700 additional Republican votes would have carried the day for Angelini and Casagrande. Those votes reside in Colts Neck, a Republican stronghold that had less than a 20% voter turnout and Freehold Township, another Republican stronghold in the district that did not turnout for the incumbents.  Casagrande and Angelini, while winning Freehold Township, did so with by a margin of less than 10%.

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Angelini Concedes LD 11 Loss

Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini

Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini released the following statement after the certification of the November 3rd elections: 

“The voters of the 11th District have spoken and I respect the choices that they have made. I congratulate Joann Downey and Eric Houghtaling and wish them nothing but the best.

Serving in the Legislature for the past eight years has been an incredible experience that I will always cherish.

I am proud of my legislative accomplishments and especially, my efforts to shine a light on the issues affecting the more vulnerable segments of our society, including young people and individuals struggling with substance abuse and mental illness.

I am forever grateful for the many wonderful friends, colleagues and supporters who helped make my time in the Assembly such a tremendous experience. I thank the residents of the 11th District for giving me the opportunity to serve and I look forward to what the next chapter of my life will bring.”

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