Homeland Security awards grants to local Jewish organizations

Ken Philmus, Security Taskforce Chair for the Jewish Federation and Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden address security measures with Jewish leaders

The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey announced that 16 Jewish organizations throughout Monmouth and Middlesex counties are among the 58 recipients statewide of nonprofit grants awarded by the Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

The grants are intended for security equipment, such as cameras and surveillance systems, lighting, card access readers, blast film, fencing and bollards (short posts used to protect an area against vehicles).

“In total, New Jersey-based applicants received $4.26 million, more than double than last year,” said Security Taskforce Chair for the Jewish Federation Ken Philmus. “The number of Jewish organizations receiving grants represents a five-fold increase from 2015. It will bring more than a million dollars in security upgrades to the Jewish community.”

The Federation worked closely with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office on the security effort.

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Christie Selected, Pallone Snubbed by National Bobblehead Hall of Fame

Breaking news out of Cleveland is that Governor Chris Christie has been admitted to the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.  The Hall and Museum are actually in Milwaukee, WI, but their representatives are in Cleveland this week selling their wares to RNC delegates and protesters. Presumably they will be in Philadephia next week for the Democratic Convention.

By glaring omission, New Jersey’s 6th District (Monmouth and Middlesex counties) Congressman Frank Pallone has not yet been admitted to the Bobblehead Hall of Fame.

Clearly, Pallone merits the honor more than any politician, athlete or movie star.

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Do you know this man? The Ocean Township Police wants to hear from you

Wanted by the Ocean Township PD

The Ocean Township Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying the man in the attached photo.  Detective Michael Melody said that more details may be released upon the man’s identification and arrest, but it is safe to say that he was not in Target to answer the help wanted sign posted on May 11.

Melody also said that the man and another guy were operating this old blue two door Chevy Blazer.

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Christie Conditionally Vetos Smoking Ban At Public Parks And Beaches

Belmar Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty and Governor Chris Christie walk the Belmar boardwalk in August 2011. Photo Credit: Tim Larson, Governor’s Office

Governor Chris Christie conditionally vetoed (CV) legislation that would have banned smoking at all public parks and beaches.  Instead, he recommended that the legislature amend the bill to prohibit smoking at State parks and beaches, but not those governed by local governments.

The bill, which was Co-Sponsored by rookie Democrat Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling of Monmouth County’s 11th legislative district, passed in the Senate 25-6 with 9 Senators not voting and in the Assembly by 52-6 with 19 Assembly Members not voting.

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Garden State Equality to move its headquarters to Asbury Park

Garden State Equality, the powerful LGBTG advocacy group, announced today that it is moving its headquarters to Asbury Park in a fundraising email by Executive Director Christian Fuscarino.

Fuscarino said the move was prompted by his desire to have a headquarters that is ADA compliant and by Asbury Park’s history as a LGBT gathering place.

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Congressman Chris Smith’s Bill Would Allow Sandy SBA Loans To Be Paid Off By HUD Grants

Congressman Chris Smith and Monmouth County Shaun Golden prepare to survey Hurricane Sandy damage. November, 2012

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) introduced legislation yesterday that, if enacted, would allow Superstorm Sandy victims who borrowed from the Small Business Administration to fund the rebuilding to their homes and businesses to repay those loans with the proceeds of grants from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Equity for Disaster Victims Act, co-sponsored by Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY),  would correct a con perpetrated by the government on Sandy victims in the aftermath of the strom and reform the federal government’s disaster relief programs to ensure fairness and flexibility.

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Golden keeps up the campaign for honest disbursement of 9-1-1 fees

Golden’s message to Republican naysayers: “Get on board.”

Monmouth Sheriff Shaun Golden is not letting up on his campaign to get Trenton to disburse the $.90 per month, per line, that we all pay on our cell and land line bills.

In case you missed it, Golden and the Monmouth County Freeholders held a press conference last week to highlight Trenton’s diversion of our fees, at the expense of public safety and in apparent violation to the federal “NET 911 Act of 2008.”  Monmouth County’s leadership on the issue garnered significant media attention, including on both New York and Philadelphia local TV news stations.

Golden brought the issue to the attention of NJTV yesterday:

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AG Lynch closes Clinton email investigation; Sonnek-Schmelz blasts special rules for powerful insiders

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced this afternoon that she is closing the Hillary Clinton email investigation based upon the recommendation of FBI Director James Comey. “Late this afternoon, I met with FBI Director James Comey and career prosecutors and agents who conducted the investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email system during her time as Secretary of State,” Lynch said in a statement released on the Justice Department website.  “I received and accepted their unanimous recommendation that the thorough, year-long investigation be closed and that no charges be brought against any individuals within the scope of the investigation.”

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz, the business man running for Congress against 28 year incumbent Frank Pallone in the Monmouth/Middlesex 6th District, said that Clinton’s free pass is more than enough reason to clear out partisan political puppets, like Pallone, from both political parties.

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Monmouth County links in Hillary’s emails

Wikileaks released 1258 of Hillary Clinton’s emails yesterday. The website obtained the emails through a Freedom of Information Request on February 29, 2016.

There are several Monmouth County connections in the emails released.

Congressman Chris Smith was mentioned in 87 of Clinton’s emails on subjects ranging from Sean Goldman being reunited with his father David of Tinton Falls after being abducted to Brazil by his mother, to the congressman’s opposition to tax payer funded abortions and Planned Parenthood funding.  Emails that mentioned Smith revealed that the Secretary and other State Department officials were busy lobbying members of congress to pass the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) in late 2009 through its final passage in March in 2010.

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Prosecutor to Announce Findings of Law Enforcement Review of Seidle Murder on Thursday

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni will announce the results of the Internal Affiars review of the law enforcement response to the brutal slaying of Tamara Seidle by her ex-husband, then Neptune Township Sgt Phillip Seidle, on June 16, 2015 while the couple’s 7 year old daughter, and members of the Asbury Park and Neptune Township Police Departments, looked on, at a press conference in Freehold tomorrow morning.

The 22 year veteran of the Neptune Police Department pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and child endangerment on March 10.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Joseph W. Oxley in August.

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