Highlands Man Surprised To Find Himself In Christie For President Ad

Governor Chris Christie released the first ad of his fledgling presidential campaign today.  The thirty second spot is aimed at New Hampshire primary voters and will air on Boston, MA and Manchester, NH television and cable outlets, according to a report on NJ.com.  Christie’s campaign will spend $500,000 to distribute the ad over the next four weeks, according to the report.

Monmouth County restaurateur Leo Cervantes, the owner of Chilango’s in Highlands and LaPlaya in Keansburg was surprised to find himself featured in the ad.

Cervantes appears 5 seconds into the ad and is the first face featured after Christie’s.  He had no idea he was in the ad when contacted by MoreMonmouthMusings.

“I endorsed Christie for his reelection as governor,” Cervantes said, “I did a commercial for him and was part of his Hispanic outreach, but I have not heard from his presidential campaign. Should I sue them?” he asked jokingly.

Cervantes said he has not made a decision on who to support for president in 2016. “I was just talking to my daughter about this.  I know the candidates are Bush, Hillary, Trump and some others, but I really haven’t focused on it yet.”

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Why New Jersey Got Billions Less Than New York in FEMA Disaster Aid After Sandy

In the two-and-a-half years since Superstorm Sandy, while the Garden State has struggled to recover, many people have puzzled over the question of why New Jersey has received substantially less federal aid than New York, even though both states suffered roughly the same amount of damage — close to $37 billion. Much of the focus has… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hit and Run Victim, 15, Is On Life Support

Marissa Procopio photo via facebook

Marissa Procopio, the 15 year old Atlantic Highlands girl who was struck by a hit and run driver in Middletown on Tuesday, is on life support at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.  Previous published reports said she had died of her injuries on Wednesday afternoon at 3:46.

An official of the Henry Hudson Regional High School District who asked not to be named for this story told MoreMonmouthMusings that Marissa’s family was informed by her doctor that there was no blood flowing to her brain and that there was no hope of recovery. The family has chosen to keep Marissa on a life sustaining ventilator for two days in order that family members can travel to say good-bye, according to the school official.  The official said that the high school principal visited Marissa at the hospital on Wednesday at 5:45 pm, two hours after the reported death.

Robert Cavanaugh, spokesperson for Jersey Shore Medical Center, declined to confirm Marissa’s condition, citing HIPAA regulations that the hospital’s policy against commenting on the condition of minors.   An telephone operator a Jersey Shore said that Marissa is patient in the Intensive Care Unit.

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Atlantic Highlands Girl, 15, Succumbs To Hit And Run Injuries

UPDATED: As of Thursday morning, Marissa is still on life support at Jersey Shore Medical Center

A 15 year old Atlantic Highlands girl who was struck by a hit and run driver Tuesday evening on Route 36 in the Leonardo section of Middletown died as a result of her injuries this afternoon, according to a report in The Two River Times.

Marissa Procopio was crossing the highway at the intersection of Ave D at approximately 8:25 pm when she was stuck by a light grey compact car traveling west.  The car fled the scene before police arrived.  Marissa was transported via Medivac helicopter to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.  She succumbed to her injuries at 3:46 this afternoon.

A review of videotape of provided by local business owner Michael D’Alessio resulted in the Middletown Police to announce that the vehicle which struck Marissa was driven by Toni Marletta, 49, of Leonardo.

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Ocean Township Police Seek Help In Locating Missing Man

The Ocean Township Police Department has asked for the public’s help in locating a 27 year old man who was reported missing from a Township mental health facility on Saturday, July 3.

Nicholas Johnson, a 27 year old white male who stands 6’05” tall, weighs 170 lbs. and has brown hair and hazel colored eyes was last seen at the Gateway Treatment Center on Saturday.

Three photographs of Mr. Johnson that depict him at various times over the last several years and included in this post. At the time of his disappearance he was seen wearing black pants and a black coat.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, July 10-12, 2015

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, July 10

• Shakespeare on the Lawn: Titus Andronicus (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Big the Musical at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO
• Mary Poppins at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Mary Poppins at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO
• Closure at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• ReImagine! Art Show (Belmar) – MORE INFO
• A Doll’s House by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• Freedom Fest State Fair (Allentown) – MORE INFO
• Campfire on the Beach at Sandy Hook – MORE INFO
• Battery Gunnison/New Peck Restored on at Sandy Hook – MORE INFO

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Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino’s lawyer wants off tax fraud case

NEWARK — Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s lawyer says he no longer wants to defend the former “Jersey Shore” star against tax fraud charges because he’s not being paid. U.S. District Court Judge Susan Wigenton on Monday set July 21 for a hearing to decide whether she’ll allow Richard Sapinski to withdraw as Sorrentino’s attorney. Sapinski represented… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. to shift Sandy relief money to program for lower-income residents

TRENTON — New Jersey plans to shift nearly $30 million in Hurricane Sandy relief aid into a rebuilding program for low-to-moderate income residents whose homes were damaged in the storm, state officials announced on Monday. The money will be diverted from three other Sandy-related programs, including one that provides grants to towns to maintain essential services… Read the rest of this entry »

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Overcrowding crisis: Should N.J overrule voters, approve $33M school expansion?

FREEHOLD — The sign that hangs above the door says “library.” But students at Park Avenue Elementary School don’t come here to check out books. The room has been overtaken, repurposed into seven miniature and makeshift classrooms partitioned only by thin, 6-foot temporary dividers. Students learning English as their second language sit between those dividers, meeting… Read the rest of this entry »

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Asbury Park Man Charged With Kiddie Porn

Johan J. Murrieta, 20, of the 300 block of 8^th Avenue in Asbury Park, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with 4 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

A series of CyberTips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating child pornography was being distributed electronically lead to an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force which revealed that on three separate days, images of child pornography were distributed using three different email accounts – all the accounts were accessed by an individual using an IP address associated with Murrieta’s home.

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