Report: Former Marlboro Mayor pleads guilty to rape charges in Delaware

Matthew V. Scannapieco

Former Marlboro Mayor Matthew V. Scannapieco admitted to Delaware authorities that he had an ongoing sexual relationship with an underage female relative between 2006 and 2008, according to a report on app.com.

Scannapieco was free, pending sentencing on federal corruption and tax evasion charges, when he had sexual contact 50-60 times with the girl, according to the timeline in the app report. He was cooperating with federal authorities on other corruption cases from 2005 when he pleaded guilty to accepting $245,000 in bribes for planning board approvals in Marlboro where he served as mayor from 1992 through 2003.  He was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison in 2008 and was released in 2010.

The former mayor, 71, is now likely to spend the rest of his life in Delaware State Prison.  He faces 2 to 25 years on charges of continuous sexual contact, 15 years to life for first degree rape and  up to three years for unlawful sexual contact.  He is in custody in Delaware on $238,000 bail and will be sentenced on September 4.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, August 14-16, 2015

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, August 14

• Keyport Fireman’s Fair – MORE INFO
• How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO
• Teen Yoga Class (Middletown) – MORE INFO
• Bluegrass Mini Golf at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO
• Atlantic Cinemas Movie Night (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO
• Hometown Premiere at Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO
• Little Mermaid at CBA’s Henderson Theater (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Live Harness Racing at Freehold Raceway – MORE INFO
• Live Horse Racing at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO

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Mobile County Connection Will Debut In Howell, Weds August 12

Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon, Surrogate Rosemarie Peters and Sheriff Shaun Golden are teaming up and taking their show on the road in a mobile office, aka The Mobile County Connection, starting tomorrow, August 12 at Howell Township Library.

“We are proud to be unveiling such an important outreach program,” said Hanlon. “It is the first of its kind in Monmouth County and features mobile government services in an effort to connect people with government in their communities.”

The Mobile County Connection office will be housed in a large mobile command center and be rolled out for the first time at the Howell Township Library, 318 Old Tavern Rd., August 12, from 11am to 2pm. During the event, residents will be able to apply for and renew their passports as well as have passport photos taken. Residents will also have access to free notary services and voter/election information.

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Democrats show up for ballot drawing with temperature gun

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal’s entourage showed up at County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon’s office today for the ballot positioning drawing, armed with a space age temperature gun.

Not Linda Baum

Linda Baum, a Middletown Democrat who has twice been defeated for Township Committee, and who got the Middletown Librarian fired when they conspired together to politicize library operations behind the backs of the Library’s Trustees, was on the scene in Freehold to take the temperature of the capsules containing the names Democrat and Republican for the ballot positioning drawing.

Gopal issued a press release this morning wherein he accused former County Clerk M. Claire French of refrigerating the capsules in the past in order that she could pick the cold one to assure the Republicans win the favored ballot position.

Baum, who’s  certification in temperature gun operation is unclear, pointed her gun at the capsules while Bertha Sumick, the Clerk of Elections and a Deputy County Clerk looked on.

Hanlon had recused herself from presiding over the drawing, because she is on the ballot in November.

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The Arnone Report: History made in Monmouth and $45 million in infrastructure grants

By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

NHL Star Trevor VanRiemsdyk, a CBA graduate, brought the Stanley Club to Middletown on July 30th

What an exciting few weeks for Monmouth County! We are making history and people around the region are taking notice. The weather has been incredible – which means our beaches, restaurants and attractions are packed and in turn, economic rewards for the community.

We even got a visit from the Stanley Cup. Trevor VanRiemsdyk, a defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks and Middletown native, attended a ceremony in his honor at Middletown Arts Center on July 30. Hundreds of fans from the area turned out for this exciting event, where Mayor Stephanie Murray awarded Trevor a key to the city, and myself, along with my fellow Freeholders, dedicated the day in his honor, marking Thursday, July 30, 2015, as Trevor VanRiemsdyk Day.

And let’s not forget history making at the William Haskell Invitational.  With a record setting crowd at Monmouth Racetrack, nearly 61,000 people came out to see triple crown winner, American Pharaoh.  Officials said that is was the largest crowd in the 145-year-old racetrack’s history, with the previous single day attendance record, 53,638, set at the Haskell in 2013. We can now say that Monmouth Park, rich in its own traditions, is part of national horse racing history as well.

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Vin Gopal’s Losing Formula

Gopal’s only political play is to attack the integrity of the candidates he’s running against, regardless of the veracity of the attack.

Vin Gopal is setting himself up for another fall. photo via facebook

By Art Gallagher

In the aftermath of Red Bank Council President Art Murphy announcing on MoreMonmouthMusings that he would resign his seat on the borough council and withdraw as a candidate for another term, Monmouth Demcoratic Chairman Vin Gopal complained to the Asbury Park Press and The Two River Times that he has a hard time recruiting candidates to run for office because of the toxic political environment.

From APP:

“I think it (Murphy’s resignation) is part of a larger problem, and he’s been thinking about it for a while,” Gopal said. “It’s about how negative and nasty local campaigns have been getting.”

From Two River Times:

Gopal however, said Murphy’s decision was not solely in response to the video. “It’s part of a larger problem with contemporary politics,” Gopal said, alleging that political opponents had on the sly recorded Murphy, unbeknownst to the councilman and released it for political gain.

“It’s sad it’s come to this,” Gopal said, noting that these tactics increasingly have been making it difficult to get qualified candidates.”

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How long before gas prices hit the $2 mark?

Close the doors, because the gas price elevator is going down, again. How long will it take before the $2 a gallon mark is hit. It may not be that long, especially if gas stations decide to have a price war to move product, said Jeff Pelton, senior oil analyst for Gas Buddy.com “Expectation into next… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hammerhead shark swimming around Jersey Shore surfaces off Belmar

BELMAR — Elias, a 100-pound Hammerhead shark that has been swimming around the Jersey Cost over the past week, made its way to Belmar Sunday morning. The shark was recently tagged by OCEARCH, the same non-profit organization that tracks the whereabouts of social media sensation Mary Lee, a 3,000 pound great white shark. The group is… Read the rest of this entry »

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Domestic calls involving cop and slain ex-wife started soon into their marriage, records show

Tamara Seidle

NEPTUNE –A decades-old report discovered by Neptune Township police indicates law enforcement officers intervened in domestic disputes between Sgt. Philip Seidle and the ex-wife he’s accused of gunning down in broad daylight in June soon into their marriage and shortly after he joined the force. Neptune officials found a 1994 report relating to a domestic incident… Read the rest of this entry »

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Body of missing swimmer found at Sandy Hook identified

SANDY HOOK –Federal parks officials identified the man who died while swimming at Sandy Hook as a 25-year-old Red Bank man. Andros Vega-Pena was swimming with a group of people Wednesday evening at Beach B when he came into distress between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m., said Daphne Yun, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service.… Read the rest of this entry »

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