Train service suspended as crews battle blaze in Monmouth County

ABERDEEN — Fire crews were battling a large blaze at a industrial building on Lloyd Road in the township late Saturday. North Jersey Coast Line rail service was suspended between Matawan and Hazlet due to “fire department activity” in the area, NJ Transit said in an advisory around 9:15 p.m. Authorities also blocked Exit 117a, off… Read the rest of this entry »

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Marlboro Republicans Accuse Hornik Democrats of “Fairy Tales” and “Gimmickry”

Hornik Campaign: Republicans Don’t Know How Municipal Government Works, Blames Board Of Ed, John Dwyer For Tax Increases

Graphic via PositivelyMarlboro.com, the Marlboro Republican candidates’ website

Invoking Abraham Lincoln’s ‘You can fool all of the people’ quote and Congressman Frank Pallone’s promise of affordable healthcare, the Republican “PositivelyMarlboro” team of Ira Goldberg for Mayor and Council candidates John Dwyer and Sui Allex charged that their incumbent Democrat opponents, Mayor Jonathan Hornik and Councilwoman Randi Marder have been deceiving the public regarding their record of taxing and spending.  The Republicans noted that Hornik’s own property tax assessment went down in 2015 and that Marder’s assessment is lower now than it was in 2011.

In a press release and postings on their website and on facebook on Friday, the Republicans said that Hornik and his “obedient” and rubber stamp” Township Council are employing election year budgetary gimmicks and deceitful campaign language in an attempt to convince voters that they’ve been fiscally responsible and that others—the Board of Education and the County Tax Board—are responsible for the growing tax burden.

The Republicans disputed Hornik’s recent claim that the new property tax assessment program has “effectively has eliminated the avenue to appeal a tax assessment.”

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Monmouth Democrats Endorse Tara Ryan-Killeen In Highlands’ Non-Partisan Council Race

Highlands Councilwoman Tara Ryan. photo via facebook

The Monmouth County Democratic Party has endorsed incumbent Councilwoman Tara Ryan-Killeen for reelection in the non-partisan municipal election in Highlands on November 3.

In a sponsored advertisement on facebook, Chairman Vin Gopal’s organization lists every nominated Democratic candidate in Monmouth County on the County, State and Municipal levels, plus Ryan-Killeen in the non-partisan election in Highlands. The Democrats did not endorse any candidates in the only other non-partisan election this November, in Tinton Falls, which is uncontested.

Incumbent Councilman Kevin Redmond, who ran with Ryan-Killeen as a Democrat when they ran in 2012, did not receive the endorsement of Gopal’s organization.  Highlands changed to non-partisan municipal elections in 2014.

Redmond and Ryan-Killeen appear to be running together, as the share a facebook page, lawn signs and have issued a joint mailer.  However, they have different slogans on the ballot.

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Chamber of Commerce honors Casagrande as Legislator of the year

Caroline Casagrande
accepting the Legislator of the Year Award from Chamber President & CEO
Tom Bracken and Michel Egenton, Senior Vice President.

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce honored Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande as Legislator of the year last night at its biannual legislative awards reception at the New Jersey Center of Excellence in Bridgewater.

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, an attorney and the assistant Republican Leader in the Assembly, is an outspoken advocate for government efficiency and for identifying waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies. She has introduced legislation that would establish job creation among small businesses and a bill that would establish tax-free business incubators at institutions of higher education. Further, Assemblywoman Casagrande has a bill that will codify the New Jersey Business Action Center into law, guaranteeing its permanence.

Casagrande represents New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District which includes Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, and West Long Branch.

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N.J. sports betting case will go before U.S. appeals court again

State Senator Joe Kyrillos, whose district includes Oceanport, the home of Monmouth Park, said, “This court reversal puts us back on the right course to create opportunities here, improve the quality of life, and enhance the state’s economy and job creation and retention at Monmouth Park and Atlantic City. As I’ve said for months, we will prevail, and the repeals that this legislature enacted on a bipartisan basis will ultimately stand.”

TRENTON — New Jersey’s years-long battle to legalize sports betting will get another day in court — and experts say the outlook for the state is suddenly a positive one. Nearly two months after a three-judge U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected the state’s latest bid to legalize sports wagering at casinos and racetracks,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, October 16-18, 201

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, Oct 16

• Tavernfest ‘15 at Allen House (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO
• Tri-State Theatre Festival by South Street Players (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO
• The Rainmaker by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• The Seedbed at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Duncan Smith Theater (Holmdel) – MORE INFO
• Haunted Allaire! at Allaire Village – MORE INFO
• “Redefining Stage Fright” Haunted Theater at BCC (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Arts & Crafts Show at Monmouth Mall (Eatontown) – MORE INFO
• Seussical the Musical at Jersey Shore Arts Center Theater (Neptune) – MORE INFO
• The Importance of Being Earnest at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO
• Bruce Springsteen: A Photographic Journey at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO

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Red Bank Republicans: Dupont gives taxpayers dollars to millionaire developer

Red Bank GOP Council Candidates Mark Taylor and Mike Whelan.

Red Bank Republican candidates for borough council, Michael Whelan and Mark Taylor, issued a statement criticizing their opponent, Councilman Michael Dupont, and the rest of the Democrats on the council for giving John Morrongielo, the private investor who owns the Locust Landing affordable housing development, a $75,000 break on fees due under the developer’s PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement and municipal services agreement after 16 of the 40 affordable rental units were damaged by Superstorm Sandy.

Dupont laughed uproariously yesterday when he heard the Republicans claims and said that they were “outlandish”and “inaccurate.”

On September 10, 2014, Dupont introduced Resolution 14-242 which granted temporary relief from paying annual service charges to Locust Landing for 2013 and 2014 and provided that the Land Taxes paid on the property be applied to the service charges due under the PILOT agreement.

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Spring Lake says Sandy audit is wrong, ‘we spent the money wisely’

SPRING LAKE — Spring Lake does not owe the federal government any Hurricane Sandy recovery money and can justify expenses that a federal audit said were not properly accounted for, borough officials said. An audit by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security contends the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hornik Calls For Suspension Of Tax Assessment Program

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik and Councilwoman Randi Marder at a campaign event last month. photo via facebook

Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik called for the immediate suspension of the controversial tax assessment program, Assessment Demonstration Pilot Program(ADP), in a press release issued Tuesday evening.

Responding to an “investigate report” in the Asbury Park Press that alleges cronyism, nepotism and ethics violations on the part of Monmouth County Tax Administrator Matt Clark, former Tax Commissioner Daniel Kelly and the companies that won the contracts to provide the inspections and appraisals of all Monmouth County properties that are assessed through ADP, Hornik said, “I am heartened by the recent call by the Asbury Park Press for an investigation of the Monmouth County Tax Assessment Demonstration Pilot Program,” said Mayor Hornik. “I have been a vocal critic of this program since its inception, and I expressed, in no uncertain terms, that the program did not fairly and accurately reflect market value, that it inappropriately interfered with local tax assessors and that it had a disproportionate adverse effect on residential and senior citizen property taxpayers.”

Hornik joins Freeholder John Curley in calling for ADP to be suspended and investigated.

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Tinton Falls Mayor Endorses Hanlon and Curley

Tinton Falls Mayor Gerald M. Turning

Tinton Falls, NJ—Tinton Falls Mayor Gerald M. Turning announced today that he will be voting for Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon and Freeholder John P. Curly on November 3rd. Turning urged all Tinton Falls and Monmouth County voters to do the same.

“I can personally attest to Christine’s abilities given my experience working with her while she served the people of Tinton Falls with distinction as the Deputy Director of Law,” said Turning.  “Christine’s keen intellect, strong work ethic and unshakeable integrity served Tinton Falls very well.”

“Christine has already brought new energy and enthusiasm to the job that serves Monmouth County very well,” continued Turning.  “I am looking forward to seeing what she accomplishes for the people of Monmouth County during her full term of office.”

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