Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, November 13-15, 2015

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, November 13

• Peter Pan at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• The Choir Room by Spotlight Players (Matawan) – MORE INFO
• Holiday Open House at Sickles Market (Little Silver) – MORE INFO
• Jersey Shore Restaurant Week – MORE INFO
• Matt & Ben at Jersey Shore Arts Center (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO
• Laura by Monmouth Players (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO
• The Producers at Axelrod PAC (Deal) – MORE INFO
• Otto’s Fortune at Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO
• Agnes of God by South Street Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• The Seedbed at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• Dancing In the Light at Axelrod PAC (Deal) – MORE INFO
• Anything Goes at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO
• Bruce Springsteen: A Photographic Journey at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO
• Jersey Shore Ghost Tours (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Live Harness Racing at Freehold Raceway – MORE INFO
• Atlantic Highlands Farmer’s Market – MORE INFO
• Atlantic Cinemas Movie Night (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

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Neptune City Council Race Tied

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor, a Republican, is tied with Democratic challenger Michael Skudera now that the provisional ballots have been counted.

In the post-Election Day machine count, Pryor trailed Skudera by one vote.

Barring a change in the tally due to a recount, which neither side has announced, there will be a run-off election between Pryor and Skudera, on a date to be determined, most likely in mid-December.

Republicans are said to be reviewing the Vote-By-Mail applications from the City prior to deciding whether to file for a recount. Operatives of the notorious Asbury Park “A Team” are rumored to have managed the Vote-By-Mail operation for the Democrats.

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Tax Man Shuts Down Merla’s Sub Shop

John Merla

The New Jersey Division of Taxation has closed Jersey Shore Subs, the Keyport eatery owned and operated by the borough’s former mayor John Merla, according to a report on KeyportAnchorNews.

On Monday, November 2, Merla announced his troubles via facebook:

The Past 14 Days Have Without a Doubt, Been The Toughest Time For Me Personally, When The SAY The Devil Works 24-7 Thats No Bull !!! Yes It Is True My Store Has Been Temporarly Closed Down For The Past Week, The Little Orange Sticker Doesn’t Tell All Only What The Haters Want To Read…I Personally Can’t Believe The Amount Of Friends, Great Customers And Family That Have Reached Out To Me Or A Family Member To Try To Help, This Setback, Just Made Me Much Much Stronger Then Ever, We Have OptionsAnd We Are Weighing Our Options Very Carefully… Many Of You Want The Store Back OPEN, And That Is One Of Are Options…I Just Can’t Tell You How HARD I’ve Worked This Past 5 Years To Make A Little Business Work For Our Community, I Really Wasn’t Going To Write This But Because Of The Support For The Business And My Family I Had Too…. I’m Sure Those That Have Been Supportive Will Appreciate It, And Those Who Like The Drama, And Want To Continue To Hate,Love It Too…. All I Can Say Is We’re Looking At Every Option Possible….The Devil Might Work 24-7, But I Work Harder…… Anyone That Knows What I’ve Done And My Business Has Contributed, Knows Where My Heart Lies…….Thank You For Your SUPPORT!!!!!!!

Merla told MMM publisher Art Gallagher that a former employee complained to the State that his wages were paid in cash.

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Under new bill, a ‘smart gun’ in every N.J. gun shop

TRENTON — More than a dozen years after passing a “smart gun” law that is now blamed for stopping them from being sold across the country, state Senate Democrats on Thursday said they want to revamp the law and force gun dealers to carry the high-tech weapons. Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) said she is introducing a… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hornikcrats Sweep in Marlboro

Democratic Mayor Jonathan Hornik has been elected to a third term in Marlboro.

With 27 of 28 districts reporting, Hornik is leading Republican Ira Goldberg with 68% of the vote, 4,739 votes to Goldberg’s 2,138.

In the Council race, Democratic incumbent Randi Marder and Michael Scalea held off Republicans John Dwyer and Sui Allex.

Scalea is the top vote getter so far in the Council race with 3820.  Marder has 3772.   Dwyer earned 2761 votes and Allex got 2706.

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Race to watch: Red Bank

Over the last two elections, Red Bank voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with their municipal government and transformed a Democratic stronghold into a swing town by splitting their partisan preferences in Council candidates.

Tomorrow, Red Bank will either turn over their government to Republican office holders with a 4-2 new majority, split partisan control of the Council 3-3, giving Democratic Mayor Pat Menna a deciding vote, or keep the current status-quo of 4-2 Democratic partisan control with Menna presiding over meetings and cutting ribbons, but having no power over policy.

Democratic incumbent Michael DuPont, 54, is running for his fourth term. Joining his effort to retain Democratic control of Red Bank is Board of Education Member Michael Ballard.  Ballard, 52, replaced former Council President Art Murphy who resigned after a video of a drunken rant of him deriding a small business went viral.

Challenging DuPont and Ballard are Young Republicans Mark Taylor, 37, an attorney and Michael Whalen, 24, an insurance executive.

As the campaign comes to a close, the Democrats seem desperate to maintain control and their composure.

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Belmar marks Sandy anniversary with return of last 2 displaced families

BELMAR – In February, borough officials and The Saint Vincent De Paul Society of St. Rose in Belmar announced a fundraising campaign, called “Home by Summer,” aimed at getting the borough’s last two families displaced by Hurricane Sandy back in their own homes by June. Well, June came and went – as did the entire summer… Read the rest of this entry »

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Saturday is Make a Difference Day in Middletown

Township Committee Urges Residents to Make Food Donations This Week

Middletown Township is participating in the nationwide community service day, Make A Difference Day, on Saturday October 24.

The Middletown Social Services Department is holding a food and cleaning supplies drive through Friday, October 23. Non-perishable food, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items and paper products are needed to restock Middletown Pantry. The Middletown Pantry, which is managed by the Social Services Department and Middletown Helps Its Own, provides emergency food and household supplies to residents in need.

Donations can be dropped off at the following locations:

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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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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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